The Covenant of Silence
by RegalGirl94
Summary: Five families with supernatural powers from the 17th century formed a covenant of silence. That silence is broken as the four Sons of Ipswich befriend the new students at Spenser Academy who have come to them with one purpose in mind - gain their trust for their plan to work. Caleb may be in the most danger as he gets close to Elly Collins and her brother, Chase.
1. Prologue

**So this is a new story while I have writers block for my Teen Wolf series project and my own original works. I'm actually quite proud of this one and might fix it up to make it an original work and do something with it, but for now, it's a fanfiction for the Covenant. I hope you guys like it :)**

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THE COVENANT OF SILENCE

PROLOGUE

In many stories, people who are special, who are different, think they are alone. They think they're the only ones. That's never true. There are always others, and they are always around, waiting to be found. They may not be just the same—but that doesn't really matter, does it?

It's like being a bear and thinking you're the only animal in the world. But then you find out that there are foxes, and fish, and mountain lions. It doesn't matter that they're different from you, a different kind of special. You're all different from each other. Which makes you just the same.

And everyone is searching for just the same. Everyone yearns to not be alone anymore.

Everyone just wants to belong. They want to be meant for something more—something special. The kind of special that they can be proud of. The kind of special that doesn't make them feel like freaks of nature. The kind of special meant for heroes and legends. The kind of special that makes others revere them as heroes and legends.

Everyone just wants to be their own hero among legends.

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 **Chapter one will be up soon, I promise.**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	2. The Dells

**Here's chapter one of my new Covenant story. I've never done work with this fandom but I've read other fanfictions with this movie and it gave me some ideas.**

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CHAPTER ONE

THE DELLS

 _The night was dark and windy up on the higher cliffs. The cool breeze softly warped around three teenage boys as they waited, looking down on the end-of-Summer bash their peers always held at the Dells before the Fall term started up. One of the boys stood off behind the other two, away from the edge of the cliff._

 _But they didn't know that they weren't alone. There was a girl who wasn't there, standing just off behind them, slightly hiding behind a tree. She didn't know why she was there. She never knew how she ended up anywhere. But she knew it was important. She just had to keep her eyes open for it._

 _She couldn't suppress the startled jump her petite frame went through when a fourth teenage boy strut past her, not seeing her in the open woods. "What's up fellas?" His hair was platinum blonde, with eyes like blue ice and skin as pale as marble._

 _"Where were you?" She turned her attention to the boy who spoke. He had wavy brown hair that idly brought to her mind the image of copper wire and deep blue eyes as expressive as an old man's sea. His face was soft with youth and his voice didn't sound like it could hold malice even for the most evil of foes, "I stopped by to give you a lift."_

 _The new arrival didn't have such a voice, his voice cocky and drawn out with the attitude of a guy who knew just how awesome he was and was not afraid to flaunt what he's got. He answered the obviously younger boy while leaning a hand on his shoulder casually, "Had things to do," he peered down the cliffs curiously, "How's the party?"_

 _"Don't know," the gruff voice of the boy away from the cliff answered, coming closer to the group. His figure was more rough around the edges than his friends, his hair falling to his shoulders like a curtain of light brown silk, his eyes light brown and his face the face of a warrior. "Just got here."_

 _She took the chance as the boys peered over the cliff to survey the remaining boy. He was the tallest of the four, and the tannest. His skin held a natural dark hue. His hair looked black in the dark night, but as the distant fires bellow them reflected upon the tresses, they looked more a deep dark chocolate brown. His eyes stood out among his friends as the deepest dark brown she'd ever seen. They almost looked black as well. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome._

 _"Well, hell boys," the blonde jeered, standing at the very edge of the cliff. Her breath caught in her throat as she thought he was going to jump. Her body acted upon her impulses as it shot forward into a sprint as he said, "Let's drop in..." and jumped from the ledge. Her scream was soundless to the ears around her as she searched for the reason she was here, seeing what she was seeing and experiencing what she was experiencing._

 _The youthful copper-head grinned like the Cheshire-cat, excitedly turning his back to the cliff and she saw it. A ring of flames erupted in his eyes, the pupils dilating until the blackness took over the totality of his eyes. He cheered, "oh, shit, yeah!" and let his body fall backwards._

 _"Tyler!" Tall, dark and handsome shouted, chastising fruitlessly._

 _The biker boy stepped closer to the edge, sparing a side glance to his friend, "Come on, Caleb. It's not gonna kill us-" he paused, grinning the grin of someone with a secret, "Yet." He let his eyes bleed black as night before throwing himself off the edge._

 _Tall, dark and handsome – or Caleb as she knew him now – cursed to himself, looking down at where his three friends must have gone. He inwardly growled before letting the flames turn his eyes black and effortlessly stepping off the ledge. The wind whipped around him as his body flew through the air, his feet touching the ground without any impact. He hid his grin as he joined his friends to make their stylistic entrance into their last High School Summer Dells party._

Her breath came out in a choked gasp as she was ripped from her vision like she always was. Her body shot up from her expansive bed, her legs getting caught in the tangle of emerald sheets and her white comforter. She sighed, running a hand through her stringy hair, feeling the cold sweat on her clammy forehead.

Her stomach did little flips as if she were about to upchuck her dinner, so she reached toward her nightstand for the water that was always set there and she gulped it down hurriedly.

She heard the door open as her older sibling peered inside, asking, "What was it? Are you okay?"

She nodded shakily, still trying to catch her breath, "I found... I found..."

"What, sis? What did you find?"

She lifted her blue eyes to her sibling, "I found others."

Twelve hours later the siblings packed up their little belongings and were ready to follow the beacon to Ipswich, Massachusetts.

"Sis, if you know where they are now, then doesn't that mean there's a target on them now?"

"Others can sense them now, yes. Once a supernatural has been sighted, any Other can find them. Others are going to come."

"So why bother? They're not going to trust us or help us."

"We have to try. We need them."

* * *

The parties at the Dells were always too big for their britches. Bonfires littered the sandy ground. Someone brought a bunch of kegs and this years Seniors set them up throughout the party as well as beers and other drinks in coolers along the edge of the crowd. A DJ was set up on a makeshift stage, blasting music throughout the party as writhing bodies crowded into a improv mosh pit while other teenagers gathered around the several bonfires and chatted, the vast majority holding a plastic red cup.

Kate Tunney in her beautiful mocha skin glory flashed a smile at everyone who passed by her and her two new friends. One was her roommate and the other was her roommate's sister.

Her new roommate, Blair, had dyed cherry red hair with big expressive brown eyes. Her sister, Onora, had naturally light brown, almost dark blonde hair with hazel eyes she got from her father. Both girls stood at five foot six inches in their favorite dark wash jeans and a red tank top – Onora – and black blouse – Blair.

Blair grinned at her boisterous new roommate as she surveyed the crowd, "Well? Tell us who's who!"

Kate smiled, loving any excuse to exercise her popularity and gossiping talent. She pointed out another Senior with dark curly blond hair above his shoulders hanging over a girl with frizzy red hair, "The first thing you have to know is that's Aaron Abbot—he's a prick. Treats girls like dirt."

"Avoid Abbot," Onora mumbled, looking around the party as if searching for someone specific, "Got it."

She did notice a guy grinning over at them while in the company of a petite girl by the next bonfire over. He had medium brown spiky hair and a big smile that seemed effortless. "Who's that?"

Kate followed her line of vision and licked her lips like a canary, "The new guy—and new girl. They're brother and sister, just moved here a month and a half ago. Pretty much keep to themselves for now."

"You sure do have a lot of new kids this year, not just us," Blair commented idly, with forced casualness.

Kate shrugged, unbothered by the pattern, "Don't know much about him—them, but I intend to find out."

While doing a crowd check, Kate's vision froze on a certain group of four teenage boys strutting their way into the party with fashionable lateness. She breathed out, "They're here."

"Who?" Blair questioned, peering through the crowd.

"The Sons of Ipswich," Kate answered dazedly.

Onora snorted at the title, catching sight of the boys in question.

When the group finally reached the girls, their evident leader took initiative in the greeting process, "Hey Kate."

Kate answered him with a short, "Caleb," before launching her body upon the long-haired boy and pouting, "You're late."

The biker wrapped his arms around the mocha skinned girl and kissed her pout, "I had a thing with the family," and then he cast his eyes on the two girls with them, "Who are your friends?"

"Girls, this is Pogue Parry," Kate placed a hand on her boyfriend's chest possessively before pointing over at the youngest looking boy, "Tyler Simms," she began to gesture to the platinum blonde head before he interrupted.

"Reid... Reid Garwin," ice blue eyes twinkled with mischief as him mouth quirked into a smirk.

The girls stared at him unimpressed so Kate went on to finish the introductions by tapping her hand on the leader's shoulder and saying, "And this is Caleb Danvers. Guys, this is my new roommate, Blair Close, and her sister, Onora Close."

"It's nice to meet you girls," Caleb told them with a friendly smile.

"Hello Caleb," the frizzy redhead they girls had seen with Abbot earlier popped up with a what was supposed to be sexy grin as she tilted her body to rest on one hip and placed a hand daintily on his arm, "How was your summer?"

"Fine, Kira," Caleb answered patiently, trying to avoid her eyes.

She seemed to just now 'notice' their company and turned her attention on the two newbies, "I'm Kira."

"Blair," the older sister answered, "This is Onora."

"You know," Kira started conversely, "No one really knows where you came here from. Not everyone can get into Spencer."

"We did," Blair answered again.

"And where are you from?" Kira pushed on, never one to be deterred.

"West," Onora glared at the unwelcome ginger.

Just then a friendly sounding voice called out, "Hey," and everyone looked to see the new brother and sister combo sauntering up to the group. He put out his hand toward Blair and Onora, "We saw you in the office when we were getting registered. I'm Chase."

Both girls took his hand and introduced themselves. Chase then turned to his companion, a petite girl of five foot three inches with chocolate curls falling below her shoulders and dark brown eyes, "And this is my sister Elly."

Elly smiled and waved to the group, "Hi."

Kate took charge and re-introduced the group to the siblings, loving taking on the role as the girl with all the know-how. And loving the attention it gave her. She grinned even more when she noticed the looks Blair was giving Tyler and the once in a while winks Chase gave Onora that made her blush. It was time to match make. "We should go dance!" She suggested loudly, grinning at her new friends before dragging her biker boyfriend over to the crowd of writhing teenagers.

"Good idea!" Chase grinned, holding out his hand to Onora expectantly, "Care to join me?"

Onora gave him an unsure look, shy, "Um..."

Blair elbowed her sister in the back, nudging her to take Chase's hand and follow him onto the dance floor. Elly gave her brother a warning look, "Chase..."

He smiled down at his little sister, "Come on, Ell, it's a party! Have fun."

The group couldn't hear what she hissed at him, but it sounded like, "Don't you dare leave me alone!" as he escorted Onora onto the makeshift dance floor.

Blair came to stand next to the new girl. It was just them with Tyler and Caleb. Reid was over by the bonfire next to theirs chatting up a boisterous blonde. "So this isn't awkward at all!" Blair tried to break the ice.

The boys chuckled at her attempt and nodded along with her observation. Blair tried to start conversation, "So why are you called the Sons of Ipswich?"

Tyler blushed at the title and shrugged, "Our families founded this town after the Salem Witch Trials. Somewhere along the line the nickname just kind of stuck."

Blair nodded in interest, "It's an interesting name."

"I actually read up on the history of this town when Chase and I decided to go to school here," Elly chimed in shyly, "So there's Parry, Garwin, Simms, Danvers..." her eyes met Caleb's for a split second and she forgot where she was going with this, "But, um, wasn't there a fifth line? Putnam?"

Caleb's lips formed a straight line, "Yes, but that line died out in the witch trials."

"Really?" Elly asked, "How?"

"This conversation bummed me out pretty quickly," Blair intervened, "Tyler, dance?"

She had grabbed his hand and pulled him away before he could answer her. But he wasn't about to say no.

"So... how?" Elly asked again, going to sit on a log in front of the bonfire.

Caleb took a heavy seat next to her, "Putnam was accused of witchcraft and executed. He didn't have any children or siblings so the Putnam line died with him hundreds of years ago."

"Huh," Elly hummed, "Do you ever think what if it didn't? There might be a fifth Son of Ipswich for you guys to grow up with. You all seem very close."

"We're practically brothers, we grew up together," Caleb told her.

"That's nice—and you're all only children in your families?" Elly asked curiously.

"We're all only sons of only sons," Caleb explained, "It kind of enforces the Sons of Ipswich title," and desperately wanting to get the subject away from him and his family's history, he changed the subject, "So are you in the year below us?"

Elly shook her head, "No, I'm a Senior too. Chase and I are only a few months a part."

Caleb's brow furrowed in confusion, "Then how...?"

Elly's mouth quirked at the corner, "Chase and I are adopted. Our parents found us in the same adoption agency."

Just then the DJ's voice broke through the music and boomed through the Dells, "Hey guys? Dylan called—there are three cop cars headed this way on Old Dell Road!"

And just like that the party dispersed in a flurry of panic and mobs of teenagers ran every which way. Caleb took Elly's hand and dragged her toward where he saw Chase and Onora meeting up with Blair and Tyler, "Let's go!"

The group ran up the hill into the trees toward where Tyler parked his Hummer. Elly carelessly jumped onto her brother's back. He latched his hands on her knees and followed the boys toward their car.

"Do you guys need a ride?" Caleb asked the brother and sister.

Chase shook his head, "No we've got a car just over there," he pointed over to a blue Camry.

"Will we see you back at the dorms?" Kate asked as Chase let Elly down back onto the ground.

Chase shook his head, "No, we have an apartment."

"Yeah," Elly commented, "Well, we'll see you in classes."

"Yeah," Caleb smiled, "Definitely."

Chase and Elly ran off to their car. "I can not believe you left me alone with them to go flirt!" Elly yelled at her brother, getting into the passengers seat.

Chase started the car and sped across the woods toward their apartment building. "I'm sorry—but you and Caleb seemed to have a good time together."

"I was just making sure he was the real deal," Elly scoffed, "We didn't come all the way here to find the wrong guys."

"And?" Chase asked expectantly, giving her a sideways glance.

"And they are the real deal," Elly determined, "All four only sons of only sons, founding families of Ipswich after fleeing the Salem Witch trials, called the Sons of Ipswich. Caleb told me how the Putnam line died out in the trials."

"Died out," Chase snorted maliciously, "Right."

"I honestly believe they think they're alone, Chase," Elly told him in a warning tone, "They don't know there are others out there."

"Are there others here?" Chase asked, pointedly ignoring her comment about the Sons'.

"Not that I've Sighted," Elly sighed, letting him change the subject, "It isn't a radar. We need to be careful going about this, Chase. We can't tip them off too soon or the whole plan will go to Hell."

"I know what I'm doing," Chase frowned, speeding up as they finally met road, "They won't know what hit them. Meanwhile, maybe you should see where things with Caleb could go."

"There are no things with Caleb," Elly denied, leaning against the cold window.

"That's not what it looked like," Chase teased, a smirk on his face.

Elly rolled her eyes, "I told you—I was just getting information. What were you doing with Onora?"

Chase shrugged, "Dancing. We can have fun, Elly, we're allowed."

Elly sighed again, "Yeah, I know. But I'm not here to have fun or make friends. I'm here to help you—that's it."

"You don't have to worry about me so much, you know," Chase informed her.

"I will anyway," Elly dismissed his suggestion.

* * *

"So Chase is pretty hot, don't you think Onora?" Kate grinned saucily as the sisters slipped off their heels. Onora was going to crash on the couch Blair had ordered for their room.

The girl in question shrugged, "I guess. I didn't really notice."

"Liar!" Blair accused her younger sister, throwing a tank top at her for her to change into.

"He was all over you," Kate teased, "I saw you two dancing."

Onora blushed, "Okay, he was pretty cute."

"I met him at the drink table and invited him out with us tomorrow when we go into town," Kate informed her, feeling very proud of her match making skills.

Onora groaned, "Great."

"Hey!" Kate chastised, "He likes you already. You have nothing to worry about. We'll go, you'll flirt, and soon you'll have a date to the dance."

"Caleb and Elly seemed cozy too," Blair mentioned, getting the attention away from her sister.

Kate grinned even more, "Yes they did! Caleb really needs a girl. He's way too serious and tense all the time. He needs someone to loosen him up."

"Maybe Elly's just right for the job," Blair suggested.

"I'll have to get Pogue on board," Kate murmured, "He can help me find out if Caleb actually likes Elly."

"And Chase can help us find out if Elly likes him back," Blair surmised.

* * *

Caleb bid his goodbye to Pogue, letting himself into his grand mansion. He noticed a lamp on in the living room and found his mother lounging on a green couch with a crystalline glass half full of amber liquid clutched in her fist.

Her angular pale face turned dazedly in his direction when he entered the room, "You're home early."

"It's after midnight, mother," Caleb told her patiently, "What are you still doing up?"

She swirled her drink around, watching it swish in the glass cup, "Thinking about my baby—turning 18 soon." She leaned her chin up to look at her son's face, her eyes trailing away to catch sight of a picture frame holding an old picture of her husband. "God," she whispered, "You look so much like him in this light." She gazed at the photo of her husband when they were younger, taking a sip of her drink, "You know, he was just a year younger than you when we met. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Yeah," Caleb frowned, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "You've told me." He walked over to stand in front of her on the couch, "Now, let's get you up to bed."

"So handsome," Evelyn whispered, not taking his hand, "He was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen." She stared at the photo next to her, "I'm so afraid I'll lose you like I lost him."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not him?" Caleb sighed exasperatedly, inwardly flinching at yet another comparison his mother always made.

"That's what he said about his father," Evelyn said, sighing, "You know, these powers... that you and your friends get when you turn 13... are nothing compared to what you get when you ascend. They're a thousand times stronger. They're seductive..." she trailed off, getting lost in her memories, "You suddenly think... the world is yours for the taking. And then you start to use... and use... aging each time—give up a piece of your life. Until there's nothing left."

Caleb kneeled in front of her, looking up at his mother with a serious expression, "I won't."

She smiled sadly, cupping his face in her hand, "That's what he told me too... I can't lose you both. I won't survive it this time. I won't."

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 **There's the first chapter. Now I did use the script for the movie as a point of reference but I don't follow the movie's plot to the letter. I make a few changes and continue the story after the movie's ending. So I hope you like what I've done. Let me know so far.**

 **REVIEW**

 **RegalGirl94**


	3. Night Out to the Bar

**Here's chapter two with some more developments. I hope you like it. And I included a link to Elly's outfit on my profile under this fanfiction's title. Go ahead and look it up.**

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CHAPTER TWO

NIGHT OUT TO THE BAR

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"Chase," Elly called, walking into their apartment's kitchen, "The news is saying some kid was killed last night at the Dells. The police found him in his car."

"We need to be more careful," Chase sighed, "There have to be others here looking for the same thing we're looking for."

"I haven't Sighted anyone," Elly shrugged, but then she paused, thinking out loud, "But it's not instantaneous—or sure-fire. I guess we just have to keep our eyes open."

"Are you ready to meet the girls in town?" Chase asked, handing her a mug of steaming hot coffee.

Elly shrugged, "I guess so. Do I have to go?"

"Yes," Chase teased, "Maybe we'll get you some new clothes for your future dates with Caleb."

"There will be no future dates with Caleb," Elly quipped, "And don't mention it again or I'll set you on fire."

Chase jokingly raised his hands in surrender before grabbing her jacket off the back of a chair and tossing it around her shoulders, "Let's go before we're late."

"But—my coffee..." Elly whined, slipping her arms into her jacket.

"Forget the coffee, we'll buy you some Starbucks, junkie!" Chase grinned, giving her a kiss on the head before dragging her out the door.

* * *

Caleb paid the pharmacist and was prepared to walk out of the small drug store when he saw his best friend's girlfriend. She greeted him enthusiastically, "Hey Caleb!"

"Oh, hey, Kate," Caleb greeted, noticing Onora and Blair with her, "What are you guys up to?"

She held up a cart of junk food, "Stocking up our rooms. Hey, did you hear about that dead kid?"

Caleb frowned and nodded, "Yeah. I did."

"Did you guys know him?" Blair asked, frowning.

Kate shook her head, "No, he just transferred in. I heard he lived on Reid and Tyler's floor."

Just then, Chase popped up behind them with googly eyed glasses on his face, "Boo!"

Kate jumped and slapped his arm, "You scared me."

Chase grinned apologetically and tugged the glasses off, tugging on his sister's hand to pull her into view, "Hey man," he greeted Caleb with a handshake.

"Hey," Caleb greeted back before smiling down at Elly.

"I'm gonna see if Pogue wants to catch the new Brad Pitt flick," Kate smiled at everyone, "Who else wants to go?"

"I will," Chase chimed in, ignoring his sister's incredulous look.

"We will too," Blair chimes in while her sister blushed, standing next to Chase.

"I got to run some errands," Caleb told them regrettably, holding up his bag of prescriptions.

"Well that's perfect," Chase said, wrapping an arm around Elly's shoulder, "Elly she hates Brad Pitt. Mind taking her off my hands?"

Elly glared at her brother while Caleb reached to scratch the back of his neck, looking down at the petite girl, "Feel like running errands?"

"Sure," Elly blushed scarlet red.

* * *

Blair and Onora went to claim seats in the theater while Chase and Kate got snacks and popcorn. Onora gave her sister a look, "I told you others would be here for them. How are we supposed to get close to them without being caught out before we're ready?"

"We'll figure it out Onora," Blair said patiently, "Just focus on living your life. Have fun. Meet new people. Flirt with Chase."

Onora rolled her eyes, "I thought that was Kate's job. She's taken pretty nicely to it."

"Kate's just enthusiastic. She knows you're into him. And she has Pogue," Blair pointed out.

"Kate's a little too enthusiastic to be innocent if you ask me," Onora grumbled just as the girl in question walked in with Chase in tow.

* * *

Elly smiled at the feel of wind on her face as Caleb drove down the two-lane road with the convertible hood down, "This place is really pretty. Almost feels like back home."

"Where did you move here from?" Caleb asked, one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the the middle console.

"I think I was born in California, but Chase and I grew up in Seattle," Elly answered, holding her hand out to catch the wind.

The convertible passed by an old barn, rugged and old, looking as if one good breeze would capsize it. Caleb pointed it out, "That's the old Putnam barn. What's left of it."

"Nobody bothered to help keep it up?" Elly asked, thinly disguising her resentment.

Caleb shrugged, "I don't know what my ancestors decided. I'm not clued in on what the families consider and such."

"You make it sound like a mob," Elly joked.

Caleb grinned, "More like a... council."

"That's a very diplomatic answer," Elly teased.

Caleb chuckled, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, "So why come to Spencer—or Ipswich for that matter?"

Elly hesitated, wondering if their cover story would be believable now that she actually had to try and pass it as the truth. But she picked the lie built on truths. "Well, um... Chase wasn't doing very well back home after our parents died. And since we were four we always talked about going to Harvard together. So we picked up and came here."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," Caleb said softly.

Elly cleared her throat quietly, running her fingers through her hair, "It was a car accident. Chase was driving and lost control, so he blames himself. It's been pretty rough on him and I thought coming here would be good for him."

"You two are very close, aren't you?" He asked her, noticing the protective tone in her voice.

She nodded sternly, "He's all I have left now."

The car slowed to a stop at the front of a dirt pathway towards a tall rickety house made out of dark wood. "This is our family's first colony house."

Caleb got out of the car but just as he stood up they teens heard a gun shot ring through the air. Elly inwardly flinched but didn't show any physical signs of being startled, but Caleb ignored that.

"Who's here?" Elly asked.

"It's just Gorman, our caretaker," Caleb told her before shouting toward the older man standing of the porch of the old home, "Gorman! It's me! It's okay!" He looked apologetically at Elly, "He doesn't see that well anymore."

The man's voice called back at them, "Who's that with you?"

"Just a friend!" Caleb called back before telling Elly softly, "I'll just be a minute, okay?"

Elly nodded her okay to him and watch while he walked off. As soon as he and the old caretaker went inside the house, she felt a shift in the wind and inwardly rolled her eyes, greeting, "Chase—you promised."

"I know but you didn't answer your phone and I was worried," Her big brother apologized, coming to stand beside her door. He reached to open it so she could step out to talk to him, "Can't a big brother be worried?"

"I was busy... talking," Elly answered lamely, "It's okay to be worried but you can't Use for such unnecessary things. Only the biggies—you promised me!"

Chase sighed frustratedly, "I know, but when you wouldn't answer and I knew you were driving somewhere with Caleb-" Elly cut him off by hugging him.

She knew how Chase felt about cars now. After the accident, he only started Using to transport without a car. And then it all went down hill from there.

Elly sighed when she pulled away from his arms, "I know you worry about me. But I've been Watching every night now and nothing's happened so far. You'd be the first to know if something was going to happen."

"I just..." Chase sighed, "Be careful with him, okay? I know what I said about having fun but if he's really who we think he is then you could get hurt. It's bad enough you insist on keeping me in your life."

Elly smiled at his antics, "I love you, Chase."

"I love you too, Ellykins," He grinned, kissing her forehead, "I gotta go, he's coming back." And then his eyes flamed into deep dark black before his body disappeared in a cloud of black mist.

"Hey, sorry you had to wait," Caleb apologized as he reached her.

Elly shook her head, "No problem." Just then her phone rang in her pocket. She dug it out and rolled her eyes when she saw Chase's name flashing on the screen. She looked at Caleb, "Big brother beckons," before bringing the phone to her ear, "This is a little much."

"Just making sure you understand how answering phones works," Chase teased on the other end.

Elly shook her head imperceptibly, "I do. And I'm fine, before you ask."

"Oh, and we're all going out to Nicky's tonight. Try not to dress in a T-shirt and jeans. Be a girl for once. Show off," He changed the subject.

Elly's brow furrowed, "Aren't you supposed to be telling me to cover up? You know, overprotective big brother type?"

She heard Chase laugh over the line, "I'm not that type. I'll see you tonight—love you."

"Love you too," She answered before hanging up the phone.

"Everything okay?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah," Elly nodded before turning her body to look at him curiously, "What's Nickys?"

* * *

"No," Chase immediately said once Elly walked out of her bedroom in a v-neck black shirt and dark blue jeans with gold flats.

Elly gave him an incredulous look, looking down at her outfit, "What?"

"This is a bar, Elly!" Chase exclaimed dramatically, "And an unofficial date. I know you have better stuff to wear."

"It's not a date," Elly exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, "He didn't ask me out—they all invited us, remember? He just offered to give me a ride."

"Yet he knows you have me so why offer you a ride unless he wanted to see you sooner?" Chase grinned, knowing he was right, "Hence—unofficial date."

Elly rolled her eyes, "No."

"Now go change," Chase demanded.

"No," Elly defied him, her hands on her hips.

"Yes," Chase slowly smiled, running into her and throwing her over his shoulder, ignoring her jabs and protests.

* * *

Chase's grin was worthy of the Joker when he opened the door for Caleb, "Hey man."

Caleb smiled as politely as he could, feeling as if he were meeting his date's father, "Hey."

Chase stepped aside to let him in, "Elly's still getting ready—I made her change."

Caleb's brow furrowed, "Why?"

"She was dressing for a day in the park—not a date," Chase rolled his eyes, grabbing his jacket.

"Oh, this isn't a-" Caleb's blushing, bumbling response was cut short by Chase's snort of humor.

"Yes it is—don't lie," Chase teased, "I can tell you like my sister. And she needs a good guy in her life. She worries about me way too much for it to be healthy and I want her to have fun here."

Caleb accepted the observation, he too noticing how Elly worried for Chase and put her brother's needs before hers.

"But I do have to give you the protective brother spiel," Chase smirked, "My sister may act like the older one sometimes—God knows she's much more mature than I am—but she's still my baby sister and she is my world. If you do anything to hurt her, I won't hesitate to hurt you."

Caleb nodded seriously, "Don't worry."

Chase gave a quick half-smile before draping his jacket around his shoulders and grabbing his car keys from the hooks Elly immediately ordered for their apartment, "I gotta go give the girls a ride. See you two when you get there."

Caleb bid Chase goodbye before hearing another door within the apartment open. A few seconds later, a nervous Elly came out from behind a wall, "I heard you and Chase—I hope he didn't actually scare you. I told him time and time again that this wasn't a da-"

"Don't worry," Caleb repeated, this time smiling at her nervousness, "You look beautiful."

Elly blushed, looking down at her ensemble that Chase picked out. She wore a navy blue tank top with a bow at the cleavage, a black blazer, black jeans, black faux-leather ankle boots. She grabbed a floral clutch her mother had given her and wore a bracelet and ring Chase had given her for her birthday a few years ago.

"Thanks."

"Are you ready to go?" He asked, clutching his car keys in his hand.

She nodded, brushing a dark curl behind her ear, "As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

Kate excitedly led the group consisting of Blair, Onora and Chase into Nickys as if she owned it. She searched through the crowd for her boyfriend. She found him waiting at a table. He smiled upon seeing her, "Hey. How are you?"

She smiled brightly at him and kissed his cheek, "Hey baby! You missed a great movie."

"Yeah, I had to get my bike fixed," Pogue told her regretfully.

"That's cool. Chase hung out and kept me company," Kate smiled at the boy in question sitting on her other side.

"Kept us all company," Onora corrected from Chase's other side at the table.

Before the tension could get too great, Blair interrupted, "Where is everyone else? I thought we were late."

Pogue gestured at the far corner of the bar, Blair followed and saw that Reid and Tyler were playing pool.

"And Caleb came to pick up Elly just before I left," Chase explained, "I didn't think we'd beat them here."

"Ooh," Kate grinned conspiratorially, "They must be taking their time."

"I've noticed how they act around each other," Pogue commented, "Is Elly into him or something?"

"Or something," Chase grinned with a secret.

Just then they caught sight of Caleb leading Elly by the hand through the bar to their table, "Hey guys, sorry we're late."

"We were just talking about you," Kate teased.

"You want something to eat?" Pogue asked his girlfriend.

"I'll just pick at whatever you're having," She told him.

"Do you want anything?" Caleb asked Elly next to him as Pogue already got up to order.

Elly shyly shook her head, "No—I'm good."

"Liar," Chase accused childishly, looking at Caleb, "Get her a burger. She's just afraid to eat in front of you."

Caleb smiled and chuckled, "Okay," He put a hand on Elly's shoulder, "One burger coming up."

"Corner pocket," Reid decided, lining up his shot. He slowly retracted his hand, letting the stick hit the white ball and knock the solid blue ball into the corner pocket.

"Great shot," Pogue complimented, coming up to hang out with the boys while he waited for his food.

"Well, well, well..." Reid smirked, catching sight of a blonde girl at the bar with a very short black skirt on, "Would you look at that?" He slapped a twenty dollar bill on the pool table's side, "Blue, cotton."

Tyler reached to slap his own money on top of it, stating, "Pink, lace."

Pogue slapped his hand over the money, "Boys, that girl hasn't worn panties since she was 12."

Reid crouched over the table, his eyes trained on the blonde's backside. A ring of flames erupted in both of his eyes and they grew full-on black. A sudden gust of wind blew the girl's skirt up, showing her bare ass.

Reid and Tyler groaned as Pogue grinned in victory, swiping up the money, "Thanks, boys."

As Pogue left, the two remaining boys froze upon hearing Blair's voice behind them, "Betting on girls' underwear?"

Reid and Tyler whipped around to see the cherry redhead with narrowed eyes behind them. She smirked, "What were you going do to find out if there wasn't that draft?"

Both teens inwardly sighed in relief. Tyler shrugged, "Reid usually just asks."

"I can see Reid doing that," Blair smiled, "You guys still playing Abbot?"

Reid jerked his chin toward the boy in question, "Yeah just waiting for him to get his cronies all gathered."

"You gonna kick his ass?" Blair asked.

"Reid will," Tyler said, "I'll just intermittently play when his turn's up."

"I'm sure you're better than you let on," Blair told the youngest Son.

"Oh, he's just modest," Reid clapped his hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Right, Baby Boy?"

Tyler groaned at the nick name as Blair asked, "Baby Boy?"

Tyler blushed, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, "It's just a stupid nick name—since I'm the youngest and all."

"I think it's cute," Blair grinned, "Baby Boy."

Once the boys left the table, Kate just could not reign herself in anymore and busted out with questions, "What did you guys do today? Did he make a move?"

"Whoa—Kate, calm down," Chase smirked, before looking at his sister, "But yes, details would be nice."

Elly rolled her eyes, "We just ran errands. Drove around, talked. No moves were made or will be made. Nothing special happened."

Kate pouted like a three year old told that Santa gave her coal for Christmas, "Why not? Don't you like him?"

Elly blushed, "Not like that..."

Kate jumped on her expression though, "You so do! Oh, this is perfect. You guys would be so cute!"

"Calm down, Kate," Elly begged, "We don't like each other. We're just—we're just friends. That's all."

"Nuh uh," Kate smirked knowingly, "You like him, I can tell these things."

"It is kind of obvious to us girls," Onora sheepishly chimed in.

Elly frowned, her face growing redder by the minute.

Chase sighed, putting a hand out to take Elly's, "It's okay, Elly. He's a nice guy. You can date nice guys, you know."

Elly narrowed her eyes at her brother, "There's nothing."

"Well, if it makes you feel any more comfortable," Kate began, "You couldn't have picked a better guy out of the bunch."

"What does that mean?" Elly turned her narrowed eyes onto Kate.

"Well Caleb is the un-appointed leader of the gang," Kate explained, "And he's earned it. He's probably the nicest guy in the entire school. He could stay at the dorms and party with us but he's stays at home to take care of his mom."

"What's wrong with his mom?" Elly asked, mentally wondering if something effects the women connected to the Sons based on what she knew of their kind.

"She took to the bottle after Caleb's dad died," Kate frowned, "It was a heart attack – or stroke – I don't know the specifics. But Mrs. Danvers hasn't been sober since."

"That's awful," Elly murmured, but inwardly she was wondering if that was just a cover story.

"But between you and me," Kate grinned, "I can tell that Caleb likes you too."

Pogue and Caleb arrived back at the table with food. Caleb placed a burger in front of Elly, "And you can help yourself to my fries."

Elly blushed, "You really didn't have to-"

"I wanted to," Caleb smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Elly blushed even more, "Thank you," ignoring Kate's smug knowing grin.

* * *

After eating their food and chatting for a bit, Pogue dragged Caleb over to the Foosball table to play a couple games. Chase eventually joined them after Kate demanded girl talk time.

"So Blair is into Tyler. Onora—you're into Chase. And Elly's into Caleb. I have Pogue," Kate listed, ignoring Onora and Elly's protests, "Now we just have to find Reid a girl to settle down with and I can retire as matchmaker."

"So you like my brother, huh?" Elly asked Onora curiously.

Onora blushed and said nothing. That was confirmation enough for them.

"Look, don't get me wrong, you seem like a very nice girl," Elly started, causing a sense of dread and utter embarrassment to well up deep in Onora's belly, "And I can tell that my brother's interested too..." now she was confused, "But after our parents died, Chase dabbled in things he wasn't ready for. He tried to be a parent to me—which he wasn't ready for. He tried to drop out of school to get a job—which he wasn't prepared for. And I'm just worried he'll jump into a relationship he isn't emotionally ready for. What I'm saying is—go slow, okay?"

"I can do that," Onora smiled sweetly.

"So Caleb tells me you guys are swimmers," Chase started conversation with Pogue as the boys played Foosball.

"Spenser's best," Pogue boasted, "State finals twice."

"I swam for my old school," Chase told them, "I was their freestyle man."

"You won't be here," Pogue smirked, side-glancing at Caleb, "That's Caleb's swim."

Chase smiled at the other freestyler, "I like a challenge."

"I'm suddenly bored," Onora stated, "How did we end up watching the boys have fun?"

Kate shrugged, "That's what girls do. You know boys and their toys."

"But it's not fair that Blair gets to have fun playing pool—I can't even play pool. And we're stuck sitting here bored out of our minds," Onora whined.

Kate suddenly grinned, a light bulb could have appeared above her head for all they knew, "I've got an idea." She stood up from the table and walked over to the juke box.

Suddenly the song I Love Rock 'N Roll filled the bar. Elly groaned, "But I can't dance."

Onora smiled and held out her hand, "Come on—it doesn't matter."

She pulled the girl up from the table and towards the Foosball table. Pogue smirked as Kate flung her body onto his and dragged him onto the dance floor. Caleb and Chase caught sight of the other two girls and smiled. Chase took the lead and pulled Onora onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist and started swinging their bodies into circles to the rock 'n roll beat.

Caleb smiled upon seeing Elly standing in front of him blushing and smiling in embarrassment. "Let me guess, you don't dance."

Elly flushed, shaking her head, "Not really—this was Kate's idea."

Caleb held out a hand to her, "Come on, I'll lead."

Elly smiled a small smile, "O—Okay."

Caleb pulled her onto the dance floor, putting his hands on her hips and helping her move with the beat of the music. Their bodies pressed flush together and Elly felt the unbearable urge to stand on her tippy-toes and press her lips to his. But she held back—barely.

Caleb then felt and rough poke on his shoulder and saw Pogue pointing at a fight brewing at the pool tables, "It's Reid and Tyler."

Caleb growled under his breath, "Grab my jacket." He bent down to kiss Elly's cheek, "Sorry-"

Elly shook her head, "No, go ahead."

Caleb and Pogue started walking for the exit when they saw Reid and Tyler shoving around with Aaron and his posse outside. Chase briefly grabbed Caleb's arm to get his attention, "You guys need help?"

"Stay with the girls, please," Caleb brushed him off.

Elly shared a look with her brother, "You stay with them. I'll go... get a drink."

Chase nodded to her and gathered the girls at the table. Blair joined them, "Guys can be idiots—no offense Chase."

He shrugged, "What happened there?"

"Reid and Aaron made a bet, Reid won. Then Aaron refused to pay, so they started screaming at each other," Blair explained.

Kate rolled her eyes, "Typical."

"Where'd Elly go?" Onora asked.

Chase glanced down at her, "To get a drink."

Elly wasn't getting a drink. She was quietly leaning out the back exit. She heard someone shout, "Reid, stop!"

She looked out and saw that Aaron and his boys had left.

She heard Caleb's voice, "What will it take for you to get it? It's addictive, you moron!"

She saw Reid standing, furious, with pitch black eyes, staring down Caleb who was still yelling at him. "You've seen what it can do if you abuse it. You want that? That's your business. But if you use in the open like you did tonight, you risk exposing us all. And that—I won't let happen."

Reid wasn't really listening. Elly had to hold in her gasp when she saw Reid lift his right hand, and a large keg started levitating in the air.

"My power's greater than yours," she heard Caleb warn.

"Not until you ascend," Reid denied, clenching his left fist.

She saw tension defiantly build in Caleb's shoulders as he gestured for Reid to bring it on, "All right, go for it, tough guy."

Reid flexed his right hand and the keg flew towards him but Caleb easily deflected it with a push of his hands. It flew back too quickly for Reid to react. It slammed into his body, throwing him into the kegs and trashcans behind him. Elly couldn't hold in her gasp when she heard glass shattering and saw it embed itself into his body. She inwardly cursed herself and pulled the door closed quickly before she could be seen.

"Shit—did you guys hear that?" Pogue cursed as they all whipped around to see the door swinging closed, but they didn't get a look at who gasped.

"Dammit!" Caleb shouted at himself, "Somebody saw."

"How can we find out who it is?" Pogue asked, worried as hell that he and his brothers had just been caught out.

"Leave it to me," Reid growled, striding toward the door.

Tyler shoved a hand on Reid's chest to stop him, "Stop, man. You can't do anything to them without hurting them."

"I can wipe their mind," Reid yelled at his best friend, "Whoever it is could expose us and bring on a whole other witch trials, Tyler!"

"I know, Reid," Tyler shot at him, "But what can we do? Whoever it is probably won't even say anything—or they'll come to us first."

"Is there a way to find out who that was, Caleb?" Pogue repeated his earlier question to their un-appointed leader, "A spell or something."

"There's an enchantment," Caleb said, "It's supposed to reveal to us anyone who means us harm."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Reid asked the group, "Let's go get it!"

Caleb shook his head, wiping a hand down his face in tension, "No, it'll take time to find. And who knows how it'll work."

"We'll find it," Pogue determined.

* * *

"Hey, girl, where've you been?" Kate asked Elly when the anxious and tense girl rejoined the group, slightly out of breath.

She gulped, "Bathroom. I feel rather warm."

"Do you need me to take you home?" Chase asked.

"Then how will they get back?" Elly asked, gesturing to Kate, Onora and Blair.

"Just wait for Caleb to come back in," Kate suggested, "If you're still feeling off, he'll be happy to drive you home."

"Okay..." Elly trailed off, wanting nothing more than to avoid being alone with Caleb after what she saw and what he could have seen.

Chase threw an arm around his sister's shoulders, "I'm sure you'll feel better. I'll make you some tea when we get home."

Just then Caleb lead his 'Brothers' back into the bar, "Sorry about that."

"That's okay," Elly told him quietly, hoping beyond hope that she didn't sound as nervous and scared as she felt.

"Elly isn't feeling all that well," Kate piped up as Pogue walked around to wrap his arms around her.

"So Chase is gonna take me home," Elly interrupted the girl, "Do you think you could give the girls a ride back to the dorms?" she asked Tyler.

The youngest boy nodded dumbly.

"We should probably all head out soon," Pogue said.

The group all started for the exit in a line. Caleb took Elly's hand briefly and pulled her to the side, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Elly brushed off, "I just feel a little warm. I want to go lay down and get some sleep before school starts tomorrow. That's all."

"Okay," Caleb accepted her answer, "Well... I had a good time today—with you."

Elly smiled a small smile, "I did too."

Caleb shyly bent down to kiss her cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes," she answered him before walking over to her brother's car to get into the passengers seat.

* * *

Elly sighed in relief that she was finally safely in the car with Chase when he started driving. "So what happened out there?" Chase asked her.

"I saw them Using on each other," Elly revealed to him, "They were fighting about Reid exposing them, using out in the open, getting addicted."

"That's all?" Chase asked, "You seemed pretty spooked."

Elly swallowed, "I gasped when I saw Reid land in some glass and kegs. I almost ran out to heal him but I ran back inside instead. I know they heard me but they didn't see me."

"Is there a way for them to find out that it was you who saw?" Chase asked, slightly worried.

Elly shrugged, "I don't know what's in their Book verbatim. I've heard of a way others can find out if someone means them harm—but that wouldn't help them find out about us, we don't want to hurt them."

"Yeah," Chase agreed quietly.

They were getting closer and closer to the apartments when Elly sighed loudly.

"Something you want to share?" Chase asked her knowingly.

"It's just..." she sighed again, "It's gonna be awkward seeing him tomorrow. He knows someone saw them and what if he figures us out before we're ready?"

"Then I'll handle it," Chase told her as he parked the car in their designated spot, "You don't have to worry about anything Eliza."

"Don't call me Eliza," Elly snapped, "And I will worry, dammit. You're my brother, Chase, and this affects me too."

Chase got out of the car and started walking up the steps to their apartment, Elly following behind him. "We came here because of your plan, Elly."

Pogue Parry had just unlocked his apartment door when he heard voices he distinctly recognized as Elly and Chase. He ducked into his apartment and left the door cracked open as he heard Elly say, "It's not my plan, Chase, it's our plan. We're here for you—not me. And we just came here to get close to the boys—not flirt with their girlfriends."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chase growled.

"You know exactly what it means, Chase," Elly snapped, "You've been cozening up to Kate and it pisses Pogue off."

"I have no interest in Kate," Chase said, "I was just getting close to her to see if she had any beans to spill. Nothing more."

"And Onora?" Elly asked, "What about her? You after her beans?"

"What the Hell?" Chase asked incredulously.

"I just find it interesting that you were so ready to move out of my life because of what happened—yet you're more than willing to wedge yourself into her life," Elly explained sarcastically, but Pogue could hear a trace of hidden hurt in her voice.

"It's not like that, Elly," Chase said quieter, "Yes, I like Onora. But it's just fun, not serious. I couldn't let her get close. But you—you're already close. You're my sister for Christ's sake. And it'd be for your own good if you just... took the car and put this place in the rear view mirror."

"I'm not leaving you, Chase, I'm just not," Elly said matter-of-factly, "You're my brother. I love you. I can't just... abandon you. But this was not the plan."

"Falling for a nice guy wasn't the plan—so what?" Chase snorted.

"I'm not falling for anyone," Elly said.

"Look we can't keep having this conversation in the middle of the hallway," Chase whispered, "Let's get inside."

Pogue heard them walking off and stewed in his apartment, suspicion filling him in his core. Who the Hell were these people?

* * *

 **So there's plenty of developments in this chapter and I hope you guys are interested to see how it goes. Let me know what you guys think.**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	4. Spiraling

**Here's chapter three and it's a big one with some hints to the future. Enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

SPIRALING

* * *

Elly nervously stood in front of the full-length mirror she had Chase attach to her bedroom door. She lightly pulled at her oxford white button up and navy tie around her neck. She sheepishly pulled her hair back into a side braid, ready for the day ahead of her to just be over with.

There was a knock at her door to which she called out, "You better have coffee!"

Chase laughed as he opened the door with a Starbucks in his hand, "Here you go princess. Are you ready to head out?"

"No," Elly answered defiantly, "Can't I just stay home?"

"No, you can't," Chase chastised, giving her forehead a kiss, "It won't be as bad as you think, I promise."

Elly sighed, "Something just doesn't feel right."

"Are you still worried about the boys figuring out that we know?" he asked her with concern, "Elly, there's no way that they know or can figure it out. You'll be fine—I won't let anything happen to you."

Elly looked up into her brother's eyes and saw his promise in them, "Okay."

The siblings sipped their Starbucks coffees while exiting their apartment. Chase was locking up when Elly heard footsteps and looked up to see Pogue exiting his apartment just four doors down, "Pogue?"

Pogue whipped around, mentally cursing at being caught by them. He thought they'd be gone when he heard Chase leave. Looks like he just made a coffee run. He wanted to avoid seeing them after what he heard last night. He could barely contain his contempt and suspicion upon learning that they had some sort of plan. Plans never sounded good to people like him.

"Hey guys," He greeted casually, mentally berating himself for reacting to Elly's call.

"I didn't know you lived here," Elly mentioned, inwardly cursing herself for not checking into that before she chose the apartment building to move into. She should have known to try and avoid where all the boys lived and looked into it more. That's the reason why they weren't living in the dorms. "I figured you were living at the dorms."

"Nah, didn't need the drama," Pogue answered her, "You guys heading to campus?"

"Yeah, you need a ride?" Chase offered, holding up his car keys.

Pogue shook his head, "No, man, thanks. I've got my bike all fixed up now."

Elly nodded, accepting that excuse, "I guess we'll see you at campus. We better go before we're late."

Pogue nodded, walking with them down the stairs.

* * *

"You're gonna be fine, Ellykins," Chase teased his sister as she stood in the doorway of their first class. The classroom looked more like a college classroom or an auditorium. It was huge with rows of raised desks all leading down to a lone mahogany desk and chalkboard for the teacher. Elly could have sworn she noticed speakers in the corners of the room.

"Okay," she whispered, half to herself and half to her brother, "I can do this."

She began walking up the steps, looking for a few empty seats as most chairs were being crowded by loud, obnoxious teenagers ready for another year of bullshit and gossip and ignoring the professor.

"Elly!" she heard a voice call her name and turned her head to see Caleb and Pogue sitting next to a couple empty seats.

Elly blushed, making her way to him behind a few disgruntled students. She muttered pitiful 'excuse me's as she tried not to brush or bump anyone on her way to the empty seat next to Caleb.

"Hey," he whispered with a smile, looking down at her petite form once she sat down.

She smiled back up at him, "Hi."

"Good morning," A forty-something man with pepper and salt hair paced in front of the large mahogany desk. He opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted when a ache-ridden young freshman scampered into the room from a back door and hastily handed the professor a note. The man peered down at the parchment through circular wire frames before looking up at the crowd and announcing, "Mr. Danvers..." Caleb's head snapped to attention, "Provost Higgins requests the pleasure of your company after class."

"Is something wrong?" Elly asked concerned but Caleb shook his head at her, "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Okay..." she trailed off, still somewhat worried that something bad may happen. She felt a hand cover her fist on her knee and snapped her head up to see Caleb smiling reassuringly toward her. She let herself relax and un-fisted her hand, letting her fingers tangle lightly with Caleb's, feeling butterflies erupt in her stomach.

"We're going to study four American contemporary writers of fiction," The Professor's booming voice filled the room without the need for microphones or speakers, "First is Cormac McCarthy, then Tim O'Brien... Kent Haruf... and last but not least... Stephen King."

"Yeah!" Everyone heard Reid's cocky voice somewhere toward the back of class, "Dreamcatcher was the shit!" The entire auditorium echoed with laughter from the students around them.

Judging by the Professor's patient and even somewhat amused expression, anyone could guess that this was a regular occurrence, "Thank you, Mr. Garwin, but no. My choice is The Shining."

* * *

"Listen, Elly," Caleb started as he proceeded to walk the girl to her next class, "Are you doing anything later?"

"Besides classes, no," Elly answered as they came up to her next class, "Why?"

"Would you let me take you out to dinner tonight?" he asked with a shy smile.

Elly weighed the pros and cons in her head. She swore she wouldn't get close. The Sons were like tigers in a zoo. They were beautiful to look at, but she knew she'd get bitten in the ass if she tried to play with them. She couldn't let herself get attached and get heartbroken over the inevitable fallout. There was always fallout. Chase would encourage her. He always wanted her happy. And he knew he couldn't be there to protect her forever. He was one of the sane brothers. But still protective. He would take care of her if she needed it.

She opened her mouth to politely decline his invitation but her reflexes had another thing coming, "Yes." She subtly hid the widening of surprise in her eyes upon the answer and felt butterflies flutter around in her stomach when she saw Caleb's smile boost to full power. She felt proud to make that happen.

"Great," Caleb answered, "I'll pick you up around six?"

Elly nodded, no backing out now, "Can't wait."

* * *

Provost Higgins was a robust gentlemen with snow-white hair and scruff on his chin. He looked old enough for no one to bother guessing what he must have looked like when he was young, but not old enough for anyone to think he could get away without exercising. He looked about one good steak away from a heart attack and one good chick flick away from a gun barrel to his forehead. One glance around his office would show anyone the lack of family photos and one gander toward his hand would show the lack of a wedding ring – no tan line either. His fingers looked like mauled sausage links when he slammed a newspaper onto his desk. It displayed headlines about the young man who attend Spencer Academy that was murdered at the Dells the night of the rambunctious party that was later broken up by the police.

"This is not the kind of publicity this institution is interested in," Provost Higgins patiently informed Caleb as he stood with his hands neatly folded in front of him like a good boy. "You wouldn't know anything about it, would you, Mr. Danvers?"

"No, sir," Caleb answered honestly.

"But you would know about a fight at a local bar last night," The Provost elaborated knowingly.

Caleb had the wisdom to look ashamed, but he tried to defend himself, "Sir, if I could..."

"And if I'm correct," Provost Higgins interrupted him, "Chase Collins and his sister, Eliza, were with you?"

"Eliza?" Caleb asked, momentarily confused.

Provost Higgins gave him the sort of look one would give a child when he asks stupid questions, "Yes, Miss Eliza Collins—you have become acquainted, yes?"

"Sorry, sir, I was just confused for a minute there," Caleb apologized, "Everyone calls her Elly."

"Well, no matter," Higgins grinned, "Both siblings come to us with a brilliant academic record... and their family trust has made a generous endowment... to this institution. I want to make sure they have a positive experience at Spenser." He tilted his head down, peering through half-moon glasses to the Golden Boy, "Do I make myself clear?"

Caleb nodded dutifully, "Yes, sir."

"Good," Higgins chirped, now smiling, "I understand you and Chase and... Elly... have already bonded—you and Miss Collins particularly," Caleb blushed upon being called out by the Provost for a still early romantic entanglement, "And I would appreciate it if you would continue to take them under you wing, make sure their stay here is a pleasant one."

Caleb nodded, bowing slightly, before taking the cue to exit. Before he could open the door, the Provost called out, "And, Caleb..."

"Sir?" Caleb twisted to look at the older man.

Provost Higgins smirked knowingly, "No more fights."

* * *

Caleb and Pogue strode through the tiled floors of the gym's swimming pools in their speedos. The duo met Reid and Tyler over by some bleachers. Reid leaned against a chair in his speedo and some sweats, showing off and teasing the gaggle of girls/self-proclaimed cheerleaders who sat in the bleachers on the other side of the pools to watch their favorite Sons of Ipswich practice.

"So what did the provost want?" Tyler asked.

"Someone told him about the fight at Nicky's," Caleb told them.

The boys immediately stood straighter, losing all joking pretense, "Is that all, man?"

"I know," Tyler agreed with Pogue, "What if it's the person who saw the... other fight?"

Caleb shrugged, tense as hell, "I don't know—he didn't say anything like he knew about that. And he immediately changed the subject to Chase and Elly."

"Shit!" Pogue cursed, "What if it was them?"

Caleb shook his head, "No, Provost Higgins was just commenting on how we've become friends and told me to make sure their experience at Spenser was a good one."

"He didn't say anything about later?" Reid stressed.

"No, Reid," Caleb stressed back.

Over at the other side of the pool, Chase stood by his sister on the bleachers as she researched the Sons' families history on her touch pad. "They're the real deal, through and through, without a doubt," Elly told her brother.

Chase nodded, "Good. Now for step two."

"This isn't a step by step deal, Chase," Elly snorted, "Really just find them and tell them deal."

"And how do you suggest going about that, dear?" Chase asked sarcastically.

"Wait to see if I see something, okay?" Elly pleaded.

Chase sighed, "Okay. Gotta go." He kissed her forehead and walked off to talk to the coach.

* * *

Steam filled the boys locker room like a thick fog as Reid gallivanted throughout the hall naked as the day he was born. He twirled the towel he used to dry himself, gearing it up to smack Tyler right in the ass.

Tyler cursed upon the stinging impact and Reid chortled, "Say my name!"

Tyler swiped at him half-heartedly, "Grow up, dude!" Reid ignored him, walking toward his locker.

Chase draped his tie around his neck, his oxford shirt left unbuttoned. He smirked at Aaron Abbot before standing at full height to leave.

Aaron glared at him with daggers in his eyes, "What are you looking at, fag?"

Chase lazily looked down at the still naked waist of the bully and smirked wider at him, "That thing between your legs. It's like a penis, only smaller."

Aaron's glare deepened astronomically as he grabbed the collar of Chase's shirt and slammed him into the lockers. Chase couldn't hold back his chuckle before Aaron slammed his fist into his jaw, grabbing his throat and holding him up against the lockers. Chase simply smirked at the other boy, knowing all he had to do was think hard enough and he could kill this ant without remorse. He felt his control slipping as he heard Caleb shout, "Hey, let him go, Aaron!"

Using the momentary distraction Chase reached up to grab Aaron's wrist and twist it behind his back, twirling the other boy around and smashing his fist into his side, leaving the bully winded and laying on the tiled floor.

Chase stood over him with a smug smile, "Don't be so sensitive, Aaron. Size isn't everything."

He turned to walk away and saw Caleb standing there with a wide smile. Caleb held his hand out, cheering, "My man!"

Chase clapped hands with him, grinning, "Up for some Foosball?"

Caleb grew sheepish, "I kinda got a dinner with Elly, but I think I can hang out for a while."

Chase smiled friendlily at him, "Don't sound so scared, man," before turning to Pogue as they made their way out, "What about you?"

"No, man," Pogue declined, "I'm cool."

* * *

 _"So where are we going?" Chase asked, checking around the intersection before driving passed the stop sign._

 _"I'll give you directions," Elly promised, "This is supposed to be a birthday surprise."_

 _"Then why am I driving?" Chase scoffed, driving carefully._

 _"Because your car is the only one that fits all of us and the gifts and you won't let anyone else touch your precious baby," Elly teased him, poking a tongue out at him._

 _"Kids, be nice," Mrs. Collins warned jokingly form the back seat next to her husband._

 _"Honey, they're not kids anymore," Mr. Collins took his wife's hand in his, "Chase here is turning eighteen today and soon our little Eliza will be too."_

 _Elly groaned at the use of her full name, making Chase laughed under his breath. She briefly glared at him before giving him more directions, "Turn right at Ellington."_

 _Chase followed her orders dutifully, making the turn safely._

 _Elly peered out the window, looking up at the storm clouds gathering above their heads. She saw flashes of lightning fill the dark gray sky with light at brief intervals. "Isn't it summer?"_

 _"Weather is a mysterious mistress," their father answered her._

 _The clock flashed 6:46 as Chase shrugged, "That's his nerd way of saying 'I don't know'."_

 _Both Elly and Mrs. Collins' laughed at the man's expense._

 _Elly directed him until they got to Chase's favorite restaurant. It was a hole-in-the-wall Italian place that the rest of the family barely tolerated. But Chase loved it and the hostess would sing to him in Italian since it was his birthday._

 _"We're going to Mercrutio's!" Chase shouted excitedly._

 _Elly nodded, "Happy Birthday Big Brother."_

 _"It will be in a minute," Mr. Collins grinned, "Let's find parking."_

 _"You were born at exactly 6:57," Mrs. Collins sighed happily._

 _Elly and Chase looked at the car clock, reading 6:56. "Cool."_

 _Chase didn't see the red Chevy truck merging in front of them. He cursed loudly, honking his horn, missing the green numbers turn from 6:56 to 6:57 as loud wondrous thunder clapped and roared above them. Black lightning cast down from the sky and struck Chase's body. He yelled in excruciating pain as the car spiraled out of his control, careening on the narrow street._

 _Elly screamed as glass shattered in every window. She heard her parents scream for her and her brother. The last thing she saw was the car zooming for a brick building before it all went black._

Elly woke, sweating and screaming and crying, to loud knocks at her apartment's front door. She looked around her living room, realizing she fell asleep on the couch while watching TV. She rushed to the door when the knocking got faster and she heard Caleb's voice call out, "Elly—are you in there!?"

She yanked the door open, bursting into tears immediately. Caleb dropped the bouquet of flowers he brought and wrapped his arms around her, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Elly shook her head, "No—I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep. I didn't forget, I promise."

"Hey," Caleb bent down to look at her, "I don't care about dinner, I care about you. What happened?"

Elly sniffed, wiping at her eyes, "I... It's just a nightmare."

Caleb gently took her elbows in his hands, kicking the front door closed, and guided her to sit down on the couch. He brought her head on his shoulder and rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to calm her down, "Walk me through it—what happened?"

Elly dug herself into his side, "I dreamt... of the day our parents died. It was Chase's birthday and we were taking him to his favorite restaurant. My mom mentioned how he was born at exactly 6:57 which was one minute away. We all looked at the clock and Chase didn't see the dumb driver merging in front of us. I don't know how it happened—but the car was spinning, glass was breaking and we were headed for a building. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in the hospital and the doctors tell me that my parents are dead. Chase has blamed himself since."

"I'm so sorry," Caleb whispered into her hair, "No one should have to go through that."

* * *

"You're being ridiculous!" Kate shouted in the privacy of her dorm room. She was glad Blair went over to Onora's dorm room to help her sister study for something.

Pogue knew better than to start a fight with his girlfriend when he was as wired up as he was. But he knew Chase and Elly were bad news and just wanted his girl to be safe.

"What is your problem?" Kate went on.

"Chase is my problem," Pogue growled, losing all patience he was able to cling to for his own sanity.

"What, are you jealous?" Kate asked, scoffing, didn't he trust her yet?

"I don't want you hanging around him," Pogue pleaded angrily.

She put her hand on her hips, "Look, he is just a friend. He and Onora are way into each other anyway. You know that!"

"I don't like him," Pogue repeated loudly.

"What about Elly?" Kate asked, ignoring the rain pattering against her window, "Do you have a problem with her too?"

Pogue didn't know what to say to answer that. So he stayed silent.

"You can't be serious," she muttered, "Get out of here, Pogue."

"What?" He asked in disbelief. She'd never kicked him out before. "Kate, listen-"

"No, Pogue! I don't care!" She shouted, "Get out!"

* * *

"I'm sorry about dinner," Elly told Caleb sheepishly. They sat cuddled up on her sofa watching reruns of the TV show Friends. Caleb had gone out and retrieved the flowers he bought for her and they now sat in a vase on the coffee table in front of them.

"Like I said—I care about you more," he answered her, leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

"I was really excited though," Elly revealed to him, knowing it was the truth whether she liked it or not. She fell for him. "Maybe we can rain check?"

"How about this Saturday? It's the Fall Fest," Caleb told her, smiling.

Her brow furrowed together, "What's that?"

He chuckled under his breath, explaining to her, "It's a dance. This weekend. And it's... also my birthday."

"Really?" Elly asked in shock, "That's convenient."

Caleb nodded, smiling shyly at her, "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

Elly thought on it. She smiled at him and nodded, "I do."

Caleb smiled widely, "Great."

* * *

Chase strolled through the hall of the Spenser dorms until he reached 321. He knocked lightly on the door. Kate opened the door and smiled upon seeing him, "Chase! What are you doing here?"

"Well I wanted to see Onora, but... I don't know where her room is," Chase answered sheepishly, "Could you help me out?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I've got it written down somewhere," Kate answered giddily, momentarily forgetting about her fight with Pogue, "Come on in."

Chase took a few steps inside the dorm room while Kate shuffled her stuff around looking for it, "I can't find it. I'll just text Blair."

"Okay," Chase commented, looking around.

Kate lifted her phone to text Blair and ask for Onora's room number. While they waited on a reply, Kate grinned at Chase, "So, what do you want with Onora?"

"Well," Chase smiled conspiratorially, "The Fall Fest is this Saturday. I want to ask her to go with me and I don't wanna wait until tomorrow."

"That's sweet," Kate commented, "I'm sure she'll appreciate it. And I'm sure she'll say yes."

"Thank you," Chase told her gratefully. Truth was that he really did care for Onora. He liked her. He wanted to get to know her. She was cute and really shy.

"She likes you," Kate revealed, "Since the party at the Dells."

"I like her too," Chase answered.

Suddenly Kate launched her body onto his and smashed their lips together. Chase's eyes widened when he felt her hands dig into the back pockets of his jeans before he hastily pushed her away, "Kate, what are you doing?"

"Pogue wants me to say away from you," Kate breathed without thinking, "He gets jealous—so damn jealous. And he told me he didn't want me around you. I threw him out, told him he was being ridiculous."

"And that's why you're throwing yourself at me now?" Chase asked sardonically, "Because you're boyfriend is jealous?"

"He's too controlling," Kate whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I'm not this guy, Kate," Chase said.

"I know, I know," She said, "Just... kiss me. He doesn't have to know—Onora doesn't have to know. It'll be our little secret."

"Tell me the room," Chase demanded softly, "Kate, what's Onora's room number?"

"Don't go to her, stay," Kate pleaded, "I need something different—It's time. It's been time for a while."

"Why don't you tell Pogue that?" Chase growled, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her way, "The room number, Kate."

"213," she mumbled, "You're not going to tell her, are you?"

"I'm going to ask Onora to the dance," Chase said, heading for the door, "Don't worry."

* * *

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Caleb asked as he opened Elly's front door to leave, "I can't wait to see you all dressed up."

Elly blushed, "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

Caleb couldn't wait anymore. He couldn't hold himself back from leaning down and brushing her lips with his. Butterflies turned to furies inside her belly when she felt his lips press against hers and his hand reach up to cradle her neck. She moved her lips with his, trying to hold back a smile. She leaned up against him on her tippy-toes, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer.

He gingerly pulled back, smiling like a fool, "Definitely can't wait."

Elly blushed and licked her lips, "I'll see you tomorrow, Caleb. Thank you for everything."

He kissed her cheek, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

Onora sighed when there was a knock at her door just as she was settle in bed. She walked over in her tank top and panties and yanked the door open, expecting her sister. She squeaked when she saw Chase on the other side, "Chase!?"

Chase smirked, looking her up and down, "Well, this is a pleasant greeting."

"Oh my god," Onora squealed, rushing to her closet to grab a robe, "What the Hell are you doing here?"

"I came to ask you something," Chase said.

"At 10 o'clock at night?" Onora asked exasperatedly.

"I couldn't wait," Chase shrugged flippantly, "I wanted your answer."

Onora placed her hands on her hips, "To what?"

"Will you go to the Fall Fest with me?"

"..."

"Onora?" Chase asked, a little let down that it was taking her so long to answer.

"Um, sure," Onora stuttered, "I mean—I mean—yes, I'll go with you."

* * *

"I hate him when he's like this," Kate muttered as she heard her phone vibrate once again on her nightstand, "He's been jealous since the day we met. It drives me crazy."

"You guys have been together for like two years, Kate," Blair said out loud while she got ready for bed.

"Maybe it's time to check out something new," Kate said, flipping herself onto her bed.

"Maybe Pogue's sensing that you feel this way," Blair said patiently, "As jealous as he is—he's insecure too."

Kate rolled her eyes as her phone vibrated again, "That's the eighth time he's called."

"Well I'm sure he'll stop if you answer," Blair sighed, laying down.

Kate picked up her phone, staring at the picture she had of Pogue posing with his bike. She pressed the red button on the side of it to turn it off, "I bet Chase isn't the jealous type."

* * *

Sometimes her visions weren't all clear. Sometimes they were jumbled and messy. So as she tossed and turned in bed, her mind tried to grasp onto the fragments her gift bestowed upon her.

 _"Yeah, but why break into the admissions office?" Pogue asked._

 _Caleb Used to open the door, "Because I wanna know more about Chase Collins."_

 _"Look, I don't even like the guy," Pogue admitted, "But are you sure you're not just imagining this?"_

 _"I'm telling you, his eyes were as black as night-"_

She felt like her body was put into some kind of bind as the scene changed.

 _Instead of being third party, she became part of the scene. She faced her brother, sensing Caleb's presence behind her. She thought she was wearing a dress—she was cold. But she didn't look away from her brother as he stood under the weight of roaring wind with eyes black as night._

 _"Chase! Please stop!" She shouted desperately, "It's me—It's Elly. Your sister. You won't hurt me."_

 _"Get out of the way, Elly," Chase warned her, a black ball of energy slowly growing in his raised hands, "This is what we wanted, remember?"_

 _"This wasn't the plan and you know it!" Elly cried out, "Please don't do this, Chase! You need help!"_

 _"Nobody can help me!" Chase shouted._

Elly gasped as she woke up, sat upright and sweating. She reached for the glass of water she felt should be there. But there wasn't one. Her throat immediately felt scratchy and hoarse as she frowned and felt the need to burst into tears.

She heard Chase letting himself in the front door, trying to be quiet so as not to wake her.

She cried out, "Chase!"

Chase immediately switched into big brother mode, all giddiness fading away as he ripped into her bedroom to see her crying and sweating in her bed like she always did after seeing something in her dreams. He looked at her nightstand and cursed himself for forgetting to put a glass of water there for her. He was the only one who could remember – she never could. He ran to the kitchen to fill a glass with water from the tap and rushed back to hand it to her. He wiped her clammy forehead with the back of his hand and felt her neck for a temperature while she gulped the water down.

"What did you see, Elly?" Chase asked her with concern.

She screwed her eyelids shut and shook her head, "No—I don't want to! Make it go away, Chase, make it stop. I just want it to stop."

"Want what to stop, Elly?" he asked, cupping her face in his hands, "Look at me, Elly—make what stop?"

"They're gonna see you Use," Elly whispered, "And they'll be suspicious and there's gonna be a fight and someone's gonna be hurt. I don't want to see these things anymore Chase, I just want it to stop."

Chase brought his sister into his arms and rocked her back and forth like a small child, "Don't worry—we know now. It'll be okay."

Elly shook her head, "We need to come clean. We need to get you help now."

"We will," Chase whispered.

* * *

 **And there it is. Stay tuned for more!**

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 **RegalGirl94**


	5. Caught Out

CHAPTER FOUR

CAUGHT OUT

* * *

Elly begged Chase to keep his distance from the boys. But he told her that would be more suspicious, not less. And he wouldn't let her walk away from a good thing with Caleb. She still hadn't told him the day after about the specifics of her dream. He just knew something bad was going to happen. He didn't know that that something bad—was him.

So she just decided to keep an eye on him. Which found her once again at swim practice during her free period. She sat in the bleachers, watching Chase and Caleb talk in between cheering on Pogue as he did his breaststroke. Caleb felt her eyes on him and looked up, locking eyes with her. She blushed at being caught and timidly waved. Caleb grinned broadly at her and waved back, making Chase smirk.

"So you really like her, huh?" Chase fished for information. He had to be the protective big brother, he just didn't have to be the overprotective one.

Caleb nodded instantly smiling, "Yeah, I do, man. A lot."

"Well she likes you too," Chase told the other man to put him at some ease, "At first she was hesitant—she hadn't had the best of luck with guys, but you're a good guy."

"What do you mean, about her luck?" Caleb asked before he could stop himself. He didn't want to violate her privacy like that.

"Well, obviously that's something you should ask her," Chase said.

Caleb inwardly cursed himself, then tried to change the subject, "So I hear you swim freestyle."

Chase chuckled to himself but allowed the guy to change the subject, "That's what they tell me. Elly's a good swimmer too, but she quit to focus on schoolwork."

"Let's see what you got," Caleb challenged.

Elly didn't know who to cheer for so she flip flopped between cheering Caleb's name and Chase's in turn. She felt someone sit next to her, asking, "Who's racing?"

Elly looked to see a pretty blonde girl watching the swimmers with mild curiosity, "Um... Caleb Danvers and Chase Collins. My brother and my..."

"Oh, I know that look," the girl teased nicely, "You guys are into each other but you don't know if you're official yet, right?"

Elly blushed, "Something like that. We've gone out and he asked me to Fall Fest – Caleb, not Chase. Chase is my brother."

"Well all good things take time," the girl promised, "I'm Sarah, I'm new."

Elly shook hands with the smiling girl, "I'm Elly, we're new too. Where'd you transfer from?"

"Boston, you?" Sarah asked.

"Seattle," Elly answered, "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Sarah smiled

Caleb pushed himself, his ears zeroing in on Elly's voice chanting, "Come on Caleb!"

He pushed off the other side of the pool, ready for the last lap back. He was just ahead of Chase, ready to win the race and not be a dick about it. For a moment he and Chase were facing each other. And even through the haze of splashing water and foggy goggles, he saw Chase's eyes flame to black. Startled, he flopped in the water, not paying attention to the pool side when he smacked his head with a muted crack, and everything went black.

"Caleb!" Elly shouted in fright, sprinting away from the bleachers to the other side of the pool as Chase quickly pulled a knocked out Caleb from the pool with Pogue's help. Tyler, Reid and another swimmer crowded around them as Elly skidded to her knees next to Caleb's form and pushed him to lay on his side, "Make sure he isn't swallowing water!"

Pogue pounded on his back and water gurgled out of his friend's mouth. Elly and he laid Caleb back on his back and Elly laid her ear against his chest. Once she found a heartbeat she lifted her hand in front of his mouth to check if he was breathing. "He's okay, just knocked out. Someone call a nurse or something."

The nameless swimmer ran off to do just that, accosting the Coach on his way. Elly felt around his head for a bump, pulling it back to see watery blood on her fingertips. "Oh my god, he's bleeding." Her neck felt hot with building emotion, her eyes getting moist, "Someone get a nurse!"

"Elly, Elly, Elly," Chase soothed behind her, bending his face so no one could see his eyes turn pitch black, "He'll be okay."

Elly felt around again, feeling a small cut that wasn't even bleeding anymore and a small bump just behind the cut, "It's okay—false alarm," she swallowed thickly. She cursed herself for being more concerned with exposure.

Caleb groaned, blinking heavily, his vision blurry and foggy. He blinked a few more times as his vision started clearing. The first thing he saw was Elly's frantic worried face bent over him. A relieved smile lit up her face when she saw him opening his eyes, "Thank God."

"There you are," Pogue drawled, "Had us going there for a second."

"More like had Elly going for a second," Tyler chimed in teasingly, making Elly roll her eyes.

"Lucky for you, Chase was there to get you out before you sucked up the pool," Pogue told him.

"He also whipped your ass!" Reid called from his stood position behind the group with Tyler.

Elly helped Caleb sit up, still feeling his forehead, "How do you feel?"

Caleb took her hands in his and pulled them away from his face, "I feel fine, Elly."

"Are you sure?" Elly asked worriedly, "I should take you to the nurse's station anyway."

"I'm fine, I promise," Caleb told her, leaning forward to give her a peck on the lips.

* * *

After getting washed up and dressed, Caleb walked with Elly to class. Chase bid them adieu once inside the classroom to sit on the other side with Onora. Caleb sat with Elly on his left and Pogue sat hunched over on her other side. For nearly the entire class Caleb stared holes into Chase's head, only averting his concentration when Elly whispered something to him.

"Can you please go to the nurse after class?" Elly begged again.

Caleb smiled down at her and nodded softly, "Okay—for you."

"It became apparent that the view of civil liberties..." the professor droned from the front, "...needing no special protection was not widely shared." He was interrupted when a office aid knocked on the door, "Come in." the boy shuffled in and handed him a piece of paper, "thank you—Twelve amendments were suggested, called the what, Ms. Snider?"

Kira barely changed her expression as she ran her hand through a drowsy Aaron's hair, "The Bill of Rights."

"Right you are," the professor murmured, "Arguably, the first being the most important. Mr. Simms, read it for us if you would. And, Mr. Collins, you're wanted in the Provost's office."

Chase didn't look worried as he excused himself from the room as Tyler read out loud, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of press or the right of the people to assemble..."

* * *

Chase knocked lightly on the Provost's door, poking his head in, "Provost Higgins, you wanted to...?"

"Chase, come in," the pompous man smiled in what he meant as a friendly way, "You know one of our students lost his life... a few nights back at the Dells."

"Yes, I heard," Chase said with a straight face, solemnly.

"Did you know him?" the Provost asked with an edge in his voice.

Chase shook his head idly, "No, sir. Why?"

"His car was returned to his parents," the Provost plucked something up from a folder on his desk, holding it out, "His mother was kind enough to send this back to us."

Chase felt cold when he took the object and saw that it was his student ID card. He faked a confused smile, "My student ID. I lost it that night."

There was no smile on the Provost's face, "It was in the back seat."

Chase perfect a confused look, inwardly cursing himself, "That's odd. I wonder how he got it. Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome."

Chase was about to excuse himself when the Provost intervened, "I understand you've become close with Caleb and his friends."

Chase smiled, "Yeah. They're great guys, sir. Caleb and Elly have taken a liking to each other too."

"I agree, they're well suited," Provost Higgins agreed, "You couldn't have picked a better bunch."

"I think so too," Chase smirked.

* * *

"See? I'm fine," Caleb smirked at Elly as they walked out of the nurse's station hand in hand.

Elly rolled her eyes, "I still think I should cancel dress shopping tonight."

Caleb shook his head, "Don't do that. I'm fine. I've got something to do tonight anyway, but I'll make sure to call you, okay?"

"Okay," Elly sighed, "Caleb? Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure," Caleb told her, sensing something serious.

"This morning," she began, sitting down on a bench with him, "Chase told me something. And I don't know what to do with it."

"What is it?" Caleb asked concerned, "Did something happen after I left?"

Elly shook her head, "More like while you were over. Chase went to ask Onora to the Fall Fest, but he didn't know where her room was so he went to Blair and Kate's room to ask them. Kate answered the door, Blair wasn't there and Kate didn't remember the room number so she texted Blair for it and they were talking while they waited and umm..."

"Elly," Caleb told her softly, "You can talk to me."

"Please know that I'm not making this up and neither is Chase and he had no reciprocal part in it," Elly whispered, to which Caleb nodded, "But Kate... she kissed him."

"What?" Caleb asked, shocked that Kate would do that to Pogue.

Elly sighed, "Chase said she kept talking about fighting with Pogue and how jealous he is and she said it would be their secret. But Chase told me this morning while we were getting ready to leave to ask what he should do—if he should do anything. Chase would never take part in cheating. I mean—when Brian McGyver stood me up for his Junior Prom to hook up with Shelby Gallesby, Chase almost beat him to death. He would never help someone hurt someone else like I was hurt that day. He hates cheaters," Elly babbled.

"Elly, Elly, Elly," Caleb soothed her, taking her shoulders in his hands, "It's okay. I believe you. You did the right thing talking to me first."

"I don't want to spread gossip or anything but I don't want to regret not saying anything," Elly said, "I don't want anyone to get hurt..."

"It'll be okay," Caleb told her, brushing her lips with his.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Elly asked her brother as he strung his jacket on.

"Out," Chase answered shortly, bending down to kiss her cheek, "Don't wait up, okay?"

"Wherever you're going, be careful," Elly warned.

"Always am," Chase smirked, leaving the apartment.

* * *

"Why do you think she won't call me back?" Pogue asked his friend as they made their way around the security officer.

"She's probably still pissed at you," Caleb hedged.

"Why are we doing this?" Pogue groaned as they climbed their way up a fence, "Why break into the admissions office?"

"Because I wanna know more about Chase Collins," Caleb answered, letting his body fall to the ground on the other side.

Pogue dropped next to him, "Look, I don't even like the guy. Are you sure you're not just imagining this?"

"I'm telling you, his eyes were as black as night in the pool today," Caleb swore, letting his eyes bleed black so the door unlocked, letting them in.

* * *

"How sick is she?" Blair asked through her cell phone.

"She came in complaining of chills and a headache," the elderly sounding nurse answered on the other side, "Within an hour, she had a 101-degree temperature."

"Do you have any ideas what it could be?" Blair asked as Onora stood leaning against her desk.

"The doctor's checking her now, we'll call you when we know more."

Blair shook her head, "No, I'm heading down there," she hung up her phone, "Let's go."

* * *

Caleb and Pogue sifted through the files, pulling out Chase Collins. Caleb peered at them speculatively, "His parents did die in a car accident-"

"Well they didn't lie about that," Pogue said, pulling out Elly's file.

"No," Caleb shook his head, "Elly said Chase was driving. This says their father lost control. And that Elly's injuries were fatal. But it was like she was fine overnight."

Then Caleb noticed something, "His real name was Pope. Chase Goodwin Pope."

"Well Elly's real name is Eliza Rose Genov-Collins, born October 28th, 1988," Pogue said.

"Chase was born July 14th, 1988," Caleb breathed, "Elly was right—the car accident was on his 18th birthday. He and Elly were adopted when they were two years old after Chase's mother died and Elly's parents went missing."

"All I'm hearing is a lot of confirmation of stuff we already knew," Pogue said.

* * *

"Why are you taking her to a hospital in Gloucester?" Onora asked as they looked in on Kate through a window.

The nurse fluttered, "Her temperature's jumped to 105 and she's showing symptoms of prophylactic-shock."

"Isn't that an allergy thing?" Blair asked worriedly, "What could have caused this?"

"We're not sure," she frowned, "It's as if she'd been bitten by hundreds of insects—like spiders."

Blair glared into the window seeing a million purple bumps and bruises littering Kate's comatose body. She followed her sister out of the hospital where they were loading Kate into an ambulance, "Someone cursed her."

"Who though?" Onora asked, "I can't see Pogue hurting her, even after their fight. Or anyone else, not even Reid."

"Someone did," Blair swore, angry as hell, "Maybe someone else is here."

"Another supernatural?" Onora asked, "Why wouldn't we have spotted them?"

"Maybe they're good at hiding," Blair suggested.

* * *

"Goodwin Pope," Caleb muttered to himself over and over again, "Goodwin Pope. Agnes Good Pope. That's where I've heard it before."

"What are you talking about?" Pogue asked, still staring at Elly's file.

"The Book of Damnation," Caleb answered, "They used to call her Goody Pope. Do you remember her?"

"I haven't read the Book since we were kids," Pogue answered him.

"Just call Reid and Tyler."

* * *

Caleb heavily stepped down the rickety staircase into the basement of the colony house. Pogue, Tyler and Reid all sat at their designated stone seats. Pogue stood when Caleb arrived, "I told them about what we found in Chase's file."

Caleb nodded, looking toward a bookcase with pitch black eyes, making a large tome float to the center of their circle, "This is a list of names who brought charges against John Putnam and his family during the Salem hunt. Pope was one of them—Goody Pope. Widow of Jacob, mother to Hagen."

"So what?" Reid sighed.

"So she claimed that John Putnam came to her as an incubus in her dreams," Caleb answered, "after she was widowed. The Book also records births and deaths during the damnation. Goody Pope's husband, Jacob, died June 4th, 1692. Her son, Hagen, was born April 11th, 1693. That's 10 months and 24 days later."

"If what you're saying is true," Tyler began, "and Hagen Pope is the bastard son of John Putnam... then the fifth bloodline didn't end in Salem."

Caleb groaned, "And Chase is one of us."

"That's crazy," Reid snarled.

"No, it's not," sighed Pogue, "Look, I should have told you guys this when it happened... but..."

"But what, Pogue? What do you know?" Caleb asked his best friend.

Pogue sighed again. He didn't want it to come to this. "The night of the fight, I was getting home when I heard Chase and Elly talking. They were talking about some plan to get close to us. Elly said something about coming here for Chase and how she couldn't leave him."

"So Elly's in on this too?" Reid growled, "Was anything they told us true?"

"Yes," a voice answered from the entrance.

All four boys whipped to standing positions to see Elly Collins standing sheepishly in the doorway, looking about to cry, "Can you please hear me out?"

* * *

 **So listen guys, I've decided to convert this to an original story since I've fully finished this one an the second book coming after it. All part of a four part story. I'll be posting the original version on FictionPress once I'm happy with it and I'll let you know about it then. But so far I'm revising revision after revision. Since I'm wanting to get this published, I would really appreciate some real feedback about how you're enjoying the story.**

 **REVIEW**

 **RegalGirl94**


	6. Golden Boy

**Are you guys still reading? Like it? Would you read the original version once I publish it?**

CHAPTER FIVE

GOLDEN BOY

* * *

"Just hear me out," Elly whispered.

"Why should we?" Caleb asked her accusingly, "More lies? What was the end game here?"

"There was never any game," Elly insisted, "We didn't come here to hurt anyone or threaten you. We came here for your help."

"Our help?" Reid scoffed.

Elly rolled her eyes, "Well not yours, Garwin, you're next to useless with fighting addiction. You really need to knock it off."

Reid glared deeply at her, "What do you know?"

Elly shrugged, "Everything. I mean... did you guys really think you were alone? There are many others out there—like you, but different. I'm one of them. That's how I found you guys. Chase and I are running out of time and he needs help."

"Explain," Caleb demanded, "Now."

Elly sighed, "A few weeks before we moved here, I Sighted you four-"

"Sighted us?" Pogue intervened.

Elly's cut off, her brow furrowing in confusion, "You really don't know anything about the others, do you?"

"We thought it was only us," Tyler told her sheepishly.

"Wow," Elly breathed before launching back into her story, "I have visions of the future. When I sleep, I dream of events that come to pass. It started when I was twelve and I didn't tell anyone until Chase's thirteenth birthday."

"When he got the first taste of Power..." Pogue guessed.

Elly nodded, "He helped me with my gift, I tried to help him with his. You can't imagine how scary it was for us to grow up with these abilities and have no idea how to control them. Chase wasn't fairing well with it, especially after the accident. Then I saw you four the night of the party at the Dells, using your power to make it to the bottom of the cliffs unharmed. I could see you're exactly like Chase—which is why I got him to move us here. We need your help."

"Our help with what?" Caleb asked, only somewhat softening upon her explanation, not really willing to get close to her.

"The Addiction," Elly looked at him, sadness seeping into her eyes, "I've never seen a power that comes in levels—or zaps life away the way yours does."

"You mean your power doesn't age you?" Reid asked jealously.

Elly shook her head, "I can have as many visions as I want. I get tired out sometimes because it takes a lot of energy, but it's nothing compared to what you guys face."

"So no other powers kill people?" Pogue asked, "It's just us that like that. Why?"

"I figured it out, looking it up," Elly muttered, "It's a curse."

"Damn right its a curse," Reid muttered darkly.

"No, like an actual curse," Elly told him, "Your ancestors—the ones who founded Ipswich—they committed hubris back in Salem. John Putnam started it, rallying the other families with the idea that we shouldn't have to hide. He exposed them all, as well as many other witches and started the trials, killing hundreds of witches as well as normal people. So one of the witches put a curse on all five families—the power would come to you in a beginner level and get you addicted, then it would age you every time you Use after you get the second level when you ascend, you would only have one son, and the power will always kill you before you can stop it."

It was silent for a moment before Elly continued, "Every other supernatural we've met doesn't have that kind of consequence. A witch cursed you guys to teach you a lesson. But Chase doesn't have the kind of time it would take for me to find the descendant of the witch to have them remove the curse. He needs help and he needs it now."

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.

"No one was around to tell Chase about the addiction," Elly sniffed, tears falling down her face, "We didn't have the Book of Damnation to spell it out for him. He got addicted and after he ascended he started to go crazy. It comes and goes, I can usually bring him back. But lately..."

"It's gotten worse," Caleb guessed.

Elly nodded, wiping under her eyes, "He's been secretive. Hasn't even mentioned coming to you guys since the bar fight at Nickys."

"That was you," Pogue swore, "You saw us."

Elly nodded heavily, "I was going to come forward but we weren't ready. We were going to tell you—I promise—but we had to be sure you were the ones we were looking for. We couldn't risk exposure."

"We can understand that," Tyler told her, coming to stand in front of her. Pogue and Reid still stared at her with suspicion and mistrust while Caleb stared at her with hurt in his eyes. It was nice to have Tyler as a buffer.

Elly nodded thankfully, "We came so you guys could help Chase cope with his addiction before it kills him. Buy us that time while I keep looking for the witch we need to lift the curse."

"Couldn't it be lifted by you—or any witch?" Pogue asked.

Elly shook her hand, "No—every curse has to be taken off by either the witch themselves or someone with their blood. I still haven't even figured out which witch cursed your ancestors. That's why we need you to help him before he does something worse than what he's already done."

"What do you mean?" Caleb commanded immediately, seeing the fear in Elly's eyes.

Elly sighed, "He's my big brother... I love him more than anything in the world and I know he loves me. But this power... this curse... it's turning him into something else. When he ascended and our parents died, he started feeling sick because he Used to save my life. Caleb, Pogue, you saw our files, my injuries were fatal. I was going to die. But Chase came into my room and Used to heal me. Our parents were already dead when he went for them and he was too weak to save them. He's blamed himself since, thinking he wasn't strong enough to save our parents. So I started looking for his birth father, his mother was alone when she died and he was given to our parents and I figured it must be hereditary."

"And you found him," Tyler guessed, looking down at the petite girl with interest.

Elly nodded, "He was only supposed to be 45 years old. But he looked like he was 80 at least. He told Chase that he was a goner—cursed. He said all Putnams were cursed and he blamed your families. Chase doesn't know I heard this conversation but Joe Pope told him to get revenge, that killing you was the only way to beat this. And then, Pope willed Chase his share of the powers and we ran away. Then I Sighted you four and came up with the plan to come here and befriend you so you would help us. Chase was all for it and I didn't believe he bought into what Pope said. Especially after we figured out that a different witch cursed your ancestors."

"Okay, okay, we believe you," Pogue said, a little blown away by all the new information, "What changed? What is Chase after now?"

"I think... you know that boy they found at the Dells?" They all nodded to her. Elly swallowed thickly, not believing where they ended up, "I think Chase did it. I looked the boy up, his name was Miles Harvey, he was a descendant of Wiccan that lived in Salem around the same time your ancestors left. I think once someone like me Sighted you four, every supernatural could find you and he came looking for you. We tend to band together, form Covenants. I think he confronted Chase that night. We went to the party separately."

"You think your brother murdered someone?" Caleb whispered in shock.

Elly crossed her arms under her chest, "I don't want to believe it. But that boyfriend I told you about, that cheated on me? Chase didn't beat him up, he Used to almost kill him. If I hadn't been there, I know he could have done it."

"And what's he after now?" Reid asked, tilting his head.

"Power," Elly answered certainly, "Pope brainwashed Chase into thinking that getting more power was the way to beat the curse. And since Caleb ascends Saturday..."

"He's going to come after me," Caleb breathed out in realization.

Elly sniffed, tears falling down her cheeks one by one as she nodded to him, "I'm so sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen. He's not in his right mind, I promise."

Caleb strode toward Elly and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest and cried a little before they heard Pogue say, "We need a plan."

Elly slightly pulled away from Caleb to look at all of them, "Let me talk to him. He won't do anything big until Saturday. He's manipulative, I grew up with him, I know. He's going to blackmail Caleb into meeting him and he's going to threaten all of you until Caleb wills him his power. But you can't fall for it. If he gets your power Caleb, it still won't be enough, he'll stick around to take Pogue's, Reid's and Tyler's until there's nothing left for him to take."

"And you think you can talk him down?" Tyler asked hopefully.

Elly nodded, "I'm his sister. And no matter how low he gets, I can always bring him back. I'm all he has left now, he won't hurt me. No matter what."

Suddenly there was a cell phone ringing and Elly gasped loudly, "No! Don't answer that!"

"Why?" Pogue asked, pulling out his phone.

"I'm serious," Elly panicked, "I saw this. If you answer that, you're going to get yourself killed."

"How?" Pogue demanded, "Tell me."

Elly sighed, "Blair's going to tell you that Kate is in the hospital. You'll rush over there and get in a wreck."

"What are you talking about?" Pogue asked in a hard voice, "What's wrong with Kate?"

Elly averted her eyes, whispering, "Chase put a Creation curse on her—spiders."

Pogue rushed forward to leave but Reid and Tyler both held him back, "This is Kate!"

"You can't go!" Elly begged, "You won't make it! Just calm down and we can all go together! I can see what I can do!"

Pogue huffed, brushing Reid and Tyler off of him, "What can you do?"

Elly shrugged, "I might be able to slow it down until we can get Chase to turn it off."

"Let's go—what are you waiting for?" Pogue demanded.

Caleb helped Elly out of her seat in his car, "I'll meet you in there a bit later, okay?"

Elly looked between him and the other three waiting at the entrance, "Caleb, you think I don't know what you're doing. You can't lie to a Seer."

"Just..." Caleb sighed, trailing off, "Let me try and handle this, please?"

Elly shifted from foot to foot, chewing on her bottom lip, "Hurry back."

Caleb smiled a small smile, "Of course," and bent down to kiss her lips shortly. But before he could pull away he felt her grab the sides of his jacket and pull him back down for a longer kiss. He smiled against her lips until she finally let him pull away. "Now I'll definitely hurry back."

"What the Hell took you guys so long?" Blair asked accusingly when she saw Pogue bust into the hospital waiting room with Reid, Tyler and Elly in tow.

Pogue ignored her glare and asked in a pleading tone, "How is she?"

Blair softened marginally, "She's still unconscious. The doctors don't know what's causing her reaction."

The boys and Elly shuffled on their feet, knowing the source of Kate's situation and knowing there was next to nothing they could do about it. "Is it..." Pogue trailed off, not really wanting the answer he suspected, "Is it fatal?"

Blair's shoulders slouched and Onora just arrived to the group, looking distraught, "She's getting worse."

Pogue looked like he was about to fall over. Tyler grabbed his shoulders and sat him down on one of the chairs. Reid leaned stoically against a wall, staring at the ground. Blair glared at Elly when the girl wasn't looking. Onora nervously sat beside Pogue, trapping her folded hands between her bouncing knees. Elly paced the hall for a moment before she dug around in her purse for something. She muttered something to herself before kneeling in front of Pogue, "Do you want to go see her?"

Pogue leaned his elbows on his knees and chewed on his thumb nail, "I don't know."

"I'll go with you," Elly offered gently, then whispered even softer so only he could hear, "And see what I can do to help."

Pogue's head bobbed up when he heard her say that. He slowly nodded, "Let's go."

She took his hand and asked Onora where her room was. Onora gave her the room number and some quick directions so she could lead Pogue there. Pogue hesitated at the door, "I can't believe it's come to this, Elly. Kate and I... we've been having problems for months. We're barely hanging on. And now this..."

Elly sighed, "Every couple has their problems, Pogue. That doesn't mean you love her any less. And regardless of if you guys break up in the future or not—you still care about her right now."

"I do," Pogue breathed out, "I love her."

"Then let me see if I can help her," Elly goaded him, opening the room door.

Pogue followed her in and gasped upon the sight of his girlfriend. Her skin was pail for her skin tone, littered in deep purple swollen bruises. He stayed by the door as Elly reached into her purse to retrieve some objects. She pulled out a yellow flower and weaved it into Kate's hair behind her ear. She then pulled out a crystal rock with clear shards poking out of an uneven round base. She set it down on the table beside Kate's bed. She then leaned down and whispered something in her ear that Pogue couldn't hear. "What is that?"

Elly looked at him briefly before gesturing to the flower, "St. Alexander's Wort to purify and protect against psychic attacks. And-" she gestured to the crystal, "Quartz to protect against hexes and curses. No one but Chase can take it off of her completely. But these should slow it down. It's all I have—I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Pogue breathed.

* * *

"Chase," Caleb greeted blankly while facing the other guy on the empty road.

"Caleb," Chase smirked, "How's my sister?"

"She's scared for her brother," Caleb answered in hard voice.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, she always did know how to worry," Chase tutted, "She always acted like the older one. Took care of me, took care of mom, took care of dad. She's done it for so long she couldn't stop even if she tried to."

"Then why don't you give her less to worry about and let us help you?" Caleb implored.

"Like you help Reid?" Chase asked, shaking his head, "I don't think so. You can't imagine what it was like growing up not knowing what this was. Elly tried her best to help, she really did. But she had her own curse to deal with. When we finally found my real father, he filled in all the missing pieces. But it was too late. I was hooked," Chase breathed in deeply through his nose, glaring at the night sky, "By then, he was such a bitter old man... or I should say, bitter old, young man," He smirked, pacing in front of Caleb, "So much that all he wanted to do was end the suffering. Like all our bloodline before us, he was more than willing to break the laws of your sacred little club. So I got him to give me his share of The Power. And he died knowing that his son was going to get revenge... on your Covenant."

His eyes bled black and he threw a burst of energy into Caleb's body, making him land and roll down the pavement.

Chase cackled, "Don't blame Elly—she didn't know that I had a little plan of my own."

Caleb coughed, leaning up from the ground in pain, "What do you want?"

"Want?" Chase scoffed, "I'm Chase Collins. I have everything I could possibly want..." he stood over Caleb's form, "It's what I need. More power," he crouched down to stare at his friend, "Saturday night, birthday boy. Just days away. At the exact moment when you ascend, be at Putnam Barn, where you will will me your power."

"Or what?" Caleb groaned, "You can't use Elly against me—you can't hurt her."

"No, you're right," Chase answered in clipped tones, "I can't hurt her... she's everything to me. But I can hurt you. And I can hurt Pogue—and Reid—and Tyler—and your mom! And anyone else I have to, to get you to will me your share of the power."

"You killed that kid at the Dells," Caleb accused.

Chase shrugged, "Well, he caught me doing a little magic. Then told me he was Wiccan and wanted to join my coven. Right," Chase started laughing hysterically, like a mad man who just got down calmly explaining why cannibalism was economically sound, "He just wouldn't leave it alone. So I told Elly I needed to do something and she should head to the party without me. I hitched a ride with the kid to the bonfire and, well... you know."

His eyes flashed black again and Caleb felt his body get suspended in the air. Still laughing, "Do you see my problem here? I like to Use—a lot. Only, no one ever told me about the effects and the damage. The addiction. And we both know what happens, don't we?"

Caleb dropped to the ground, cursing as his knees scraped on the frozen tar, "So the way I see it, I add your power to what I already have-"

"It won't stop the aging," Caleb told him, "Your father found that out the hard way. You need to work with us until Elly finds the witch we need to take the curse off our families."

Chase cackled, "I have all the faith in the world in Elly and her abilities. She's smarter than anyone I've ever known. She found my father, she found you. But I don't think she'll find this witch. She doesn't even have a last name to go by. No," Chase shook his head, "Just think of yourself as the sacrificial lamb. Hell... you're already their golden boy. Why not go out a real hero? So Saturday night, there's going to be a birthday party with just you and me. It's either you... or them... brother."

And with a flash of black eyes, Chase's body misted away, leaving Caleb alone on the lonely road.

* * *

 **And the plot grows thicker...**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	7. Mysteries

CHAPTER SIX

MYSTERIES

* * *

Caleb shuffled into the hospital and groaned when Elly slammed into his body, knocking the wind out of him. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her back, "I'm okay."

"I know that's a lie," Elly mumbled into his clothed chest.

"Have you seen anything that could help?" Caleb asked concerned, looking down at her tenderly.

Elly gulped, "That night you came over I had another dream. You and Chase were facing off at the old Putnam Barn. I was there trying to talk Chase down. But he wouldn't listen. And then it goes black. I can't see anything pass that moment. It's all black."

"What does that mean?" Caleb asked worriedly.

Elly shrugged, "I don't know. It's never happened before. But it can only be two things. Either I get knocked unconscious or..."

"Or you get killed," Caleb realized, "There's no way you're coming now."

"Don't do that, Caleb," Elly snapped, "Chase is my brother—my responsibility. If there's even the slightest chance that I can talk him down and avoid a fight, I'm taking it. And this isn't up for discussion. I'll be there whether you want me there or not."

Caleb sighed, "Fine, but you stay by me or behind me, you got it?"

Elly nodded, "Got it."

Caleb cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to press his lips against hers softly. She responded immediately, reveling in the warmth that filled her whenever Caleb kissed her. He pulled away gently, "Can I show you something?"

Elly nodded her head, "Sure."

Elly was practically a mute when Caleb drove them up to his family's old colony house for the second time. She could sense why they were here. But she didn't want to say anything to disrupt Caleb's stoic silence as he led her into the house, only to be stopped by an old man with a shot gun.

"This is important to me, Gorman," Caleb interrupted the man solemnly. Gorman stepped aside slowly and let Caleb take Elly up the stairs by her hand.

They ended up in a wooden room and Elly heard the dull beep of machines before she saw an old man—he looked to be in his 90s—seated in a wheelchair, hooked up to a bunch of wires with a blanket thrown over his lap. He had deep dark brown eyes that Elly immediately recognized as Caleb's. This was Caleb's father.

"This is William Danvers the third," Caleb confirmed her theory, "My father. He's 44 years old."

"Kate said he died of a heart attack years ago," Elly whispered. She didn't know why she said it, didn't know why she thought of it. But she couldn't stand there and say nothing and it was the only thing brought to the forefront of her mind that didn't sound that offensive.

"That's the cover story we came up with," Caleb told her, "And yes, he can hear you."

Elly looked between the father and son, wanting to cry, "Chase's biological father wasn't even this far down. I can't believe another witch could do this to someone of their own kind. It's inhuman."

"It's okay," Caleb wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her into his side, "Let's save your brother—and then we'll figure it out."

"I'm just—sorry," Elly whispered weakly, leaning her head against his arm, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Caleb told her, leaning down to peck her lips.

"Time to go," Gorman called up the stairs, "Mr. Danvers needs rest."

Caleb briefly groaned under his breath, "He's right."

Elly broke away from his arms to kneel in front of William in his wheelchair, "Mr. Danvers?"

It may have been a whole 30 long seconds before the man's brown eyes lazily crawled over to her face.

"You don't know me," Elly began in a soft, apologetic voice, "But my name is Elly Collins. The fifth bloodline didn't die out—It's my brother Chase. And I'm sorry for all the trouble he's caused here. But I just wanted you to know that I'm going to do whatever it takes to save your son—to save everyone. I don't care how long it takes or how hard it is." She saw a brief flutter of emotion cross in his eyes and sighed, "I just wanted you to know that."

She stood up and began to walk back when William's wrinkle-ridden hand whipped up to grab hers, "Eliza... Genov..."

"How did you know that name?" Elly asked, a sense of dread pooling in her stomach.

"Time to go!" Gorman called up the stairs again.

Caleb kept his eyes on his girlfriend and father, ignoring Gorman's impatience.

"Your... father..." William tried to gasp out.

Elly crouched in front of him again, "You knew my father? My biological father?"

"His name... was... Geo—George," William rasped, "He was... a good man."

Elly felt tears building in her eyes, "Were you friends?"

William's breathing started getting heavier, his body winded. Elly heard footsteps behind her and Gorman whisper to Caleb, "You need to go."

Caleb nodded and put his hands on Elly's shoulders, "Let's get you home."

Elly stood, "No, I don't wanna go home. I can't go home. Chase-"

Caleb turned her to face him and bent down to kiss her lips, pulling back a second later, "Okay. You can stay with me, okay?"

Elly nodded slightly and turned around, bending down to press a light kiss to William's cheek, "Thank you, Mr. Danvers."

Caleb ran Elly by her apartment to pick up a bag. Chase wasn't there when she stepped in and packed some clothes and toiletries. Caleb drove them over to Danvers Manor and quietly warned her, "My mother..."

"Kate told me that too," Elly interrupted him, "You don't have to worry."

Caleb nodded and lead her inside, seeing that a light was on. The couple walked into a living room, seeing Evelyn lounging on the emerald couch with an ice-less glass of scotch teetering in her bony hand, much like Caleb had found her when he came home from the party at the Dells.

"Mother... I'd like you to meet Elly Collins," Caleb cleared his throat awkwardly.

Evelyn lazily tilted her head in their direction, "Who?"

"My girlfriend," Caleb introduced.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Danvers," Elly mumbled shyly.

"It's Evelyn, dear," The drunkess sighed, "I haven't been Mrs. Danvers in years."

Elly gripped Caleb's hand for support, seeing him see his mother this way was hard. She was certain it was hard for him too. Caleb sighed and pulled away from her to grasp the glass of alcohol from his mother's hands, "Let's get you up to bed."

The older woman leaned heavily on her son as he guided her up the stairs, telling Elly he'd be right back.

Elly looked around the living room while she had a moment to herself. She surveyed the large fireplace with orange embers still flickering, the only source of natural light, the other light being a dull lamp next to a table that housed Evelyn's alcohol. But something else of the table caught her attention as well. There were three silver picture frames, all embedding older looking photos.

She picked up one that made her smile. It seemed to be a younger William Danvers. It looked like a school photo. He looked really handsome, nearly identical to what Caleb looked like now. Elly put it down and picked up what looked like a wedding photo. William and Evelyn looked blissfully happy, all dressed up and glowing. They didn't look much older than eighteen. Elly couldn't help but wonder what made William fall so far and let the addiction drag him so far down. Why couldn't he fight it for his wife and son?

Trying to move on from that line of thought, Elly picked up the third photograph. She could see young William Danvers again. But five other young men stood with him.

"Hey," She heard Caleb's voice shatter her concentration.

Elly turned to look at him with slightly wide eyes, "Hey. How is she?"

"Asleep," Caleb muttered, coming to stand beside her and peer at the picture she was holding, "That's all our dads." He pointed at the man standing next to William, "That's Glenn Simms – Tyler's dad. They were best friends. Next to him is Joseph Garwin, Reid's father and then on the far right is Wayne Parry, Pogue's father."

"Are they... alive?" Elly asked slowly.

Caleb shifted seriously beside her, "Tyler and Reid's fathers manage to stay alive, if they look a little older than they actually are. Pogue's dad died a couple years ago."

Elly frowned, "Died? Or...?" she trailed off, knowing he'd get her meaning.

Is he holed off in an old house all alone to suffer for his addiction too?

"He had a heart attack," Caleb answered, and she knew he meant a real heart attack.

"Oh..." she muttered lamely. She then noticed something, "Hey, who is that?" she pointed to the man on the far left next to William. He had brown hair and bright green eyes.

Caleb stared at the picture for a moment before frowning, shaking his head, "I don't know."

"May I?" Elly asked, turning the frame over and fingering the hooks that held the cardboard back in place. At Caleb's consenting nod, she turned the hooks and pulled the back out, carefully extracting the picture and looking at the back of it. There was a caption written in ink by a feminine hand.

George, William, Glenn, Joseph and Wayne. June 2nd, 1980

"George..." Elly whispered, "George Genov." She turned to look at the picture again, look at the man on the left. "This is my biological father. All these years of trying to figure out my gift, figure out Chase's curse. Finding his father, finding you. It never occurred to me to look for my biological parents."

"Maybe you'll get a chance to now," Caleb told her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, "I can help."

Elly carefully replaced the photo and set it down where it was, "I can't focus on that right now. I need to help Chase. I need to help you guys beat this curse. Then maybe I can beat mine."

"You're not cursed, Elly," Caleb whispered.

"What else do you call it?" Elly asked, "I see future events—most of the time it's horrible. And I wake up in massive amounts of pain and panic that no pill I've tried can help with. And I don't even know where it came from. I don't have textbooks of history like you do, Caleb."

A tear tracked its way down her cheek. Caleb turned her in his arms to wipe the tear from her skin, "Listen, Elly... why don't we relax tomorrow? We'll have the whole day before Chase wants to meet. You and I can just relax here before the dance. How does that sound?"

"That sounds nice," Elly whispered, "Can I stay with you tonight or am I banished to a guest room?"

"You'll stay with me as long as you like," Caleb assured her, bending down to brush her lips gently with his, "I have no intention of letting you go."

"That sounds nice too," Elly smiled weakly, kissing him back.

* * *

 **There it is for you guys. Now seriously, I am on my fourth revision of the original version of this story with a lot of differences. I may or may not post one of those versions on my fictionpress account under the same name, but I haven't decided yet. My main concern is knowing if you guys would be interested in buying the original ebook. So please let me know if you like this story and would be willing to buy the published original book. I want to know if I have what it takes to pull this off.**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	8. The End is Near

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE END IS NEAR

* * *

 _She faced her brother, knowing Caleb stood right behind her. She was cold, shivering and felt the looming doom of the situation threaten to crush her. But she didn't look away from her brother as he stood under the weight of roaring winds with eyes black as night._

 _"Chase! Please stop!" She shouted desperately, "It's me—It's Elly. Your sister. You won't hurt me."_

 _"Get out of the way, Elly," Chase warned her, a black ball of energy slowly growing in his raised hands, "This is what we wanted, remember?"_

 _"This wasn't the plan and you know it!" Elly cried out, "Please don't do this, Chase! You need help!"_

 _"Nobody can help me!" Chase shouted._

 _"I can if you let me!" Elly pleaded, "Just let me back in, Chase! We can beat this together like we said. I can still fix this!"_

 _"Why fix something that isn't broken?" Chase asked maliciously._

 _"Get out of the way, Elly, he'll kill you!" Caleb yelled over the storm from behind her._

 _She shook her head defiantly, turning briefly to look at him, "I can't. He's my brother, Caleb."_

 _Chase raised his hands and the large black ball of energy, enlarging it beyond belief, "This is what it's come to, then."_

"Elly!" Caleb shouted, trying to wake his writhing girlfriend as she sobbed in her sleep.

Elly suddenly shot up in an upright position, gasping deeply to try and gulp in as much air as she could. This, however, caused hiccups to rip through her throat and she tried to calm herself down, focusing on Caleb's soothing strokes of his fingers through her hair and up and down her arms. But she couldn't calm down, "Cale—it was awful... I can't—I can't..."

"Shhh," Caleb whispered to her gently. He leaned down to kiss her forehead and then he brought her head to rest on his shoulder. She kicked off the blankets from her legs and twisted to get out of bed, "I need something to drink."

Caleb quickly grabbed her waist and brought her to lay down in the bed again, "Stay here. Rest. I'll get you a glass of water, okay?"

Elly laid down on the bed, folding her left arm under her head while she waited. She closed her eyes and felt herself getting drowsy when she heard Caleb set a glass down on the nightstand. She sat up while Caleb sat next to her and took a drink from the glass, "Thank you."

She felt Caleb kiss her temple, "Anytime."

Elly took another sip, setting it down again, "You know... at first the visions only came once in a while. I'd be so tired out I couldn't move. Chase would get me a glass of water when he heard me wake up. Then the visions started coming every week—then every night. So often Chase would just set a glass of water by my bed because he knew I'd always forget. He's forgotten the passed two nights."

"You'll get your brother back, Elly, I promise," Caleb whispered to her.

She gave him a weak but thankful smile as she leaned her head on his shoulder, "Caleb? I was thinking since you don't ascend and meet Chase until after 11... that we could still go to the Fall Fest together at eight."

Caleb smiled into her hair, "I would love to still take you to the dance, Elly."

Soon the couple succumbed to sleep again, hoping against hope that another horrible vision wouldn't wake Elly up in terror again.

Hours later around eight in the morning, Caleb woke up to an empty bed and empty bedroom. He lazily rubbed at his eyes to see the side of the bed Elly had slept on—empty. Alarmed, he rushed out of bed in only his boxers and a white wife-beater and immediately ran downstairs, calling out, "Elly!"

"In the kitchen!" he heard her holler back at him from afar, immediately making him heave a sigh of relief and calmly traipsed into the kitchen to see Elly making herself quite at home. He stood in the doorway, smiling at the sight of her in a pair of his flannel pajama pants with the tie tied as tight as it could go around her hips so they wouldn't fall and a tank top she was wearing under her shirt yesterday. She had set the kettle on the stove to boil and set out three mugs and tea bags he didn't recognize out on the counter next to it. She was leaning against the island, organizing different colored stones and some kind of herbs out while reading something on her kindle.

She looked up and blushed when noticing him staring at her, "Good morning."

Still half asleep, Caleb mumbled, "Good morning," through a smile as he walked further into the large kitchen, "What are you up to?"

"Well I grabbed a bunch of supplies when you took me to my apartment," Elly told him, gesturing to all the stones and herbs she had laid out, "I'm trying to come up with alternatives to dealing with Chase. Maybe I can come up with something that will... I don't know... delay him—buy me time to find who we need to break the curse."

"Anything's worth trying," He appeased her, "What have you come up with so far?"

"I have malachite stones," she pointed to the stones of varied colored green stripes, "for the guys to carry in their pockets to help repel magical attacks. I have an quartz necklace. And um..." she plucked a dark silver ring with intricate decorations and a decent sized black stone in it, "You can wear this for protection—it's black onyx."

Caleb gingerly took the ring from her outstretched hand and slipped it on his middle finger. He grinned at her, "I like it."

She smiled shyly, "I'm glad." She tugged on a yellow flower, "This is St. Alexander's Wort. I put it in Kate's room. I can't figure out how to slip it to Chase though—it's for protection, not breaking a curse. I have patchouli oil we can dilute and put on our skin. And I know it's silly," she blushed, picking up a green plant and holding it out to him, "But I want you to carry the four-leaf clover in your pocket for luck. It seems childish but it really is true."

Caleb twirled the clover in his fingers then weaved it into her hair behind her ear, "Whatever works."

"I figured with all this stuff, Chase can't really attack us before we're ready. And we can spread the patchouli oil around the manor so he can't come for your mom," Elly told him, "And if he shows up at the dance—since he did ask Onora to it—I can use the opportunity to try and talk him out of it in a crowded place where he can't pull anything. I just want to avoid a fight. Last resort—this," she held up a small glass vile, "Belladonna. Also known as nightshade. It's a strong sedative. Too much can be poisonous but I will just give him a small dose—enough to knock him out."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Caleb asked her seriously, "I don't want to pit you against your brother."

"I'm not against him," Elly answered simply, "He may think I am right now but if you haven't noticed... he's kind of the sole population of crazy town. Whatever I do is to help him and prevent him from hurting anyone else."

"Okay," Caleb accepted her answer, then pointed to some purple herbs next to the bottle of belladonna, "What's the purple stuff?"

"That's lavender," Elly answered, "That's not for us though."

"Who is it for?" Caleb asked her curiously. Who else was she pimping this stuff out to?

Elly blushed a little, embarrassed, "It's for your mom. So is the tea. It's chamomile. I have a lot of it because Chase figured a cup of chamomile tea before bed might help my visions. And it does, I've just forgotten about it with everything going on. I grabbed some, thinking it might help me think. I figured it could help her out too."

Caleb smiled down at her in awe, beyond touched by her even giving his mother a second thought, "That's... really sweet. Thank you."

Elly's blush deepened under his gaze as she waved her hand dismissively, "It's nothing." The kettle then began to ring shrilly throughout the kitchen air and Elly walked over to turn off the stove. She poured the three mugs full of boiling hot water and then deposited a tea bag in each of them. She handed a mug to Caleb, "Do you want to take it to her?"

"Sure," Caleb told her, bending to kiss her forehead, "I'll be right back."

Elly gathered up the malachite stones and re-counted them before closing her kindle and packing everything up. She then grabbed her mug and stirred with a cinnamon stick she had before taking a sip.

"Thank you, again," Caleb said again when he entered the kitchen again.

Elly waved her hand dismissively again, "It's nothing. Are you ready for the dance tonight?"

Caleb shook his head, "Are you?"

"Not really," Elly muttered, "I want to go with you and have fun, but I don't know how to get through the night knowing where it's going to lead."

"There's still a chance you'll get through to him before it comes to that," Caleb encouraged her, brushing her hair behind her forehead. "You have to be one of the smartest people I know—and that's including professors."

Elly weakly laughed at his attempt to cheer her up, "Brains don't do much in a witch fight. And I can't use my visions as self-defense. I'm next to useless when it comes to physical confrontation."

"That's why you have me," Caleb told her with his million watt smile lighting up his face.

With a smile like that, Elly couldn't help but smile back, "I guess you're right."

* * *

"What are we going to do?" Onora asked her sister while they let themselves into Blair's dorm room.

"We're gonna go to the dance—you're gonna feel up Chase to see if he's the one we're looking for—I'll try and see what Tyler knows—we'll both keep an eye on Elly and then whoever the culprit is, gets some hemlock laced punch."

"Hemlock?" Onora asked in shock, "That's poisonous, Blair!"

"You know the only way to reverse a curse like this one!" Blair pointed at her, "Kill the one who put in on her in the first place."

"Or get them to take it off themselves!" Onora shot back at her, "We didn't come here to hurt anyone!"

"And look where Kate is right now!" Blair yelled, her voice reaching high octaves one found in desperation, "We didn't protect her and now she's in the hospital with a spider curse that the doctors can't treat."

"But you saw the quartz stone and the St. Alexander's wort in her room," Onora pointed out, "Someone else out there wants to help her—not just us. There must be a way to save Kate without killing anyone."

"You're only saying that because it's most likely your boyfriend who did it!" Blair growled, feeling hate well in her belly for the one who may have killed her friend.

"We don't know that!" Onora shouted back at her, for once not correcting her about the 'boyfriend' bit and just sticking to her guns, standing up to her big sister, "We're not murderers, Blair. We came here to find others like us so we weren't alone anymore. And now you're hellbent on vengeance and false retribution for a girl you barely even tolerated!"

"She's still our friend!" Blair argued aptly, "And regardless of who they did it to, whoever did this is still a bad witch and they deserve punishment!"

"But it isn't ours to dish out!" Onora said back, "We're not judge, jury and executioner. We're just two witches who happen to know others. And what tune are you gonna be singing if it turns out to be Tyler? Huh? What then? I bet you won't be so keen on hemlock if that's the twist this story takes!"

"It's not Tyler," Blair stewed quietly then, "Tyler doesn't have motive."

"And Chase does!?" Onora kept her voice raised, "He barely knows her—he hung out with all of us or his sister, Kate wasn't anything special to him. What motive does he have?"

"I don't know but he's the only one that makes sense!"

"You're not even paying attention to the actual logic—you're just looking for a culprit so you can play hero!" Onora accused, "That's what you always do! You always have to be Big Bad Blair—the one to save us all and bask in the glory of it. You can never stop to think that maybe you don't know best! All because you can't stand being wrong!"

"That's not true!" Blair denied, "I'm not Hercules—I'm human. But I just happen to have abilities that enable me to help people. And I will until I can't anymore."

Onora gave her a look of disbelief, "Are you being serious right now? It's never been about saving people for you—it's been about credit. It's about getting the bad guy and being a hero. That's all it's ever been about for you."

"How can you say that-"

"Because it's true!" Onora yelled, interrupting her, "Whenever we save someone, you don't even check on them. You go right to the bad guy and start your little 'good guys always win' speech and then you torch 'em! All the while the person who witnesses that is scarred for life and you don't even care. You need to be better, Blair, you need to be aware that you're not the ultimate hero of the world. Sometimes you're biased and wrong and unfair. Sometimes you're pig headed and you don't listen to what other people have to say unless they're agreeing with you. That's why no one ever wants to work with us and that's why we're alone and looking here for others—because we haven't found any others yet who want to put up with your crap!"

Onora was panting by the end of her little rant. And Blair was staring at her sister with wide-eyed hurt and shock deeply set into her face. Onora felt bad, at least some part of her did. But the other part had been waiting to say that for years and could finally breath without biting the side of her cheek to keep quiet.

Things gone unsaid can build up until they exploded.

Things just exploded.

* * *

Caleb and Elly told Evelyn everything that was going on. Then Caleb called Pogue, Reid and Tyler away from the hospital to gather at Caleb's house for one last pow-wow before everything went down. The boys had all changed in ten minutes and waited downstairs with Evelyn as Elly got ready upstairs.

Evelyn stood, drink-less for once, leaning against the doorway to the living room in front of the grand staircase. Her face looked bitter and in truth, she probably was bitter, "Caleb, you cannot do this alone. We have to go to the others."

Caleb shook his head, ever the martyr, "We can't do that. He'll kill us all, including you. He would have killed Pogue if Elly hadn't warned him."

"Where is she anyway?" Reid asked.

"Upstairs, changing," Caleb muttered.

"You never should have involved her," Evelyn murmured in disdain.

"She was already involved," Caleb corrected her sternly, "And Chase could still use her against me. He's using all of you against me... and it's going to stop."

"What about your father-" Evelyn started hopefully but Caleb shot her down.

"No, I know what you're thinking, Mother. And you know what'll happen."

Evelyn came to stand in front of her son, his form towering over hers just like his father's did. She cupped his face in her hands, whispering, "But he loves you."

Caleb gently pried her hands away from his cheeks, "Then he'll die with that secret."

He walked over to the other guys sitting on a couch together, "I want you to keep an eye out for Chase at the dance. Make sure he doesn't get to Onora or Blair. I'll stick with Elly and then we'll go meet before I ascend if Elly's backups don't work."

"What backups?" Tyler asked curiously.

"I have stones for protection, called malachite," Elly's voice answered, followed by clicking of heels as the girl in question entered the room from the stairs.

Caleb's jaw almost dropped when he saw her. She wore a short sleeved light blue dress with assorted darker blue and gray beading throughout the dress. The light blue color faded into dark gray as the fabric got closer to her feet, covered in open-toed white heels. Her hair was pulled back into a simple chignon bun and her ears wore white pearls. She carried a matching bow shaped baby blue silk clutch purse that she was opening as she spoke to take out three green striped stones.

"Put these in your pockets," she handed a stone to each of them.

"Why doesn't your boyfriend get a present?" Reid asked sarcastically.

Caleb held up his hand, showing them the ring on his middle finger, "I got a cooler looking one."

"Where's your protection, Elly?" Pogue asked in concern.

Elly slipped her hand into her purse and pulled a small glass bottle, "Belladonna. If I can't get through to Chase at the dance than I can slip this into his drink to knock him out. Then we can lock him up somewhere until we can break this curse."

"Belladonna? Can't that kill him?" Tyler asked, ever-knowledgeable.

Elly shook her head, "No—I won't give him enough to risk killing him. It'll just knock him out. To others, it'll look like he snuck in alcohol and got drunk. Then we can just bring him to my apartment until we can figure out where we can keep him where he won't hurt anyone."

"What do you need us to do?" Pogue asked readily.

"We need you to watch out," Caleb answered him, "Chase won't let Elly near him with me right there. I'll probably have to leave them alone at the dance. I need you guys around where he won't notice so we can all watch her back. I can't let anything happen to her."

Elly blushed softly at his last sentence.

"You know we've got your back," Reid told him earnestly. All jokes and jabs and fights aside, Reid and Caleb were still brothers. They still grew up together and they still protected one another. That wouldn't change just because they bickered a lot.

"It's time to go," Elly chimed in, "We shouldn't be late."

"Right," Tyler added, standing up, "I have to pick Blair and Onora up."

"Chase isn't getting Onora?" Elly asked, shocked. She was sure Chase would go along with his original plan.

Tyler shook his head, "He called her to ask her if they could just meet there."

"And you didn't think to tell us this sooner?" Reid snapped at him.

Tyler shrugged, "It didn't occur to me before. I figured he can't pick her up because Elly took their car."

Caleb and Elly exchanged a glance and Elly gave Tyler a confused look, "I left the car at the apartments. Caleb drove me by to pick some stuff up and then we came here."

"What are you talking about?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, I saw your car outside," Pogue chimed in.

Elly felt the breath leave her as the words sunk in. She immediately raced outside to the large expansive driveway of the Danvers Manor and gasped upon the sight of her and Chase's small car sitting there on the pavement.

Caleb walked up behind her and noticed the car, along with a notice on the windshield. He reached to snap it up and read it to himself.

Why don't you let me and my sister have a private chat? She'll meet you at the dance, unharmed.

"He wants me to leave you here to talk," Caleb told Elly quietly, handing her the note.

She read it silently, contemplating the heaviness of the situation, "This is my chance to turn this around, Caleb. Go on, I'll be fine."

"You really think I'm leaving you alone with him?" Caleb asked her incredulously, "The plan was that you confront him at the dance with everyone around. This is too dangerous."

"He won't hurt me," Elly insisted, "He even said so."

"He hasn't really lived up to your expectations lately," Reid's sardonic voice sounded behind them as the other three Sons came to join them outside.

"What if he's too far gone to realize the consequences of his actions?" Pogue pointed out, "I mean—he could not even recognize that he's hurting you until it's too late."

"He always protects me," she told them, "He's never hurt me before when he gets like this."

"But you said he's never been this bad," Tyler sounded reluctant, "I mean—what if he really is too far gone?"

Elly shook her head desperately, "Please just trust me. Let me do this. I can do this." She turned to look at Caleb, pleading with her eyes, "Please. I'll meet you at the dance."

Caleb sighed deep in his chest, the movement shifting his whole body, "I won't be able to protect you here."

"I can protect myself, Caleb. And I won't have to—Chase is my brother," Elly told him almost under her breath, but he heard her. "Please."

Caleb sighed again, running a hand down his face in frustration and impatience, "Fine. But you call me when you're on your way with an update—okay?"

"Okay," Elly agreed with a small smile on her face, "Go on, now. Don't want to be too late."

Caleb bent down to place his lips on hers. Elly's breath hitched a little as it always did when the butterflies erupted in her stomach and she moved her lips with his passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her body so close to his that her feet almost lifted off the ground—she was that short. She wrapped hers around his neck and tangled a hand in his black hair.

Caleb pulled away slowly and regrettably, leaning his forehead on hers briefly before letting her back down on the ground, "Call me if anything goes wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong," Elly promised, "But I promise to call when I'm on my way."

"Okay," Caleb whispered, kissing her forehead, "Be careful, please."

"I will," Elly said as he got in his car with Pogue and drove off. Reid and Tyler jumped in his Hummer and followed.

"Okay, Chase—come out!" Elly called into the still night air, knowing her brother was there the whole time. How else would he know she was alone?

"Touching testimony in my honor, sis," Chase's voice sounded behind her, making her whip around to face him.

* * *

"Dude—you gotta trust her," Reid goaded his friend as they stood by the punch table.

Caleb kept glancing up at the clock every fifteen seconds, only to figure out that only fifteen seconds had passed. He didn't touch the punch or little snacks on the tables set up at the side of the school's gym. He desperately wanted to drive back to his house and see Elly. Hold her and know that she's okay. But Reid was right, he had to trust her.

"I know," Caleb sighed to his friend, "But she can't protect herself the way we can."

"Look, give her fifteen minutes, then call her," Reid suggested, "If you'll excuse me, there's a redhead over there just begging for my attention."

Caleb rolled his eyes as he watched Reid approach the girl with brown-red hair in a punk black poofy dress to her knees with a thick red waist.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Tyler asked Blair as they swayed under the soft blue lights in the school's gym.

Blair blushed under his gaze, in her long gauzy blood red gown with a deep V and black lacy sleeves. Her feet were donned with peep-toe black jeweled heels. She pulled her hair up into an elegant bun at the back of her neck and spread scarlet red across her lips. "Yes you have, five times and counting."

"Well you are beautiful, and I'm a lucky guy," Tyler teased, bringing her closer to him as they danced.

Onora stood off by the end of the punch table, away from everyone. She tried to hold her tears back but one just managed to slip out. She hastily wiped it away before anyone could notice, though no one was looking at her.

"I'm sure something came up," she heard behind her.

She whipped around to see Pogue standing behind her in a white button up, loose black tie, black slacks and his leather motorcycle jacket on over it all. "Excuse me?"

Pogue smiled friendlily and picked up a small piece of cake laid out on a napkin, pre-sliced so there were no need for knives. "I said I'm sure something came up. Chase isn't standing you up. I mean—who could?"

Onora laughed bitterly, "If he cared, he would have called so say something came up. I have my phone," she briefly lifted up her black and gold clutch, "No calls."

"Than he's an idiot," Pogue said, meaning every word. He knew where Chase really was. He knew he didn't have any intention of coming here with Onora. And the girl did not deserve that. She was a good friend to Kate and helped with his jealousy by taking Chase's attention away from his girlfriend. The girl didn't deserve to think she'd been lead on and left hanging because she was inadequate. "You look pretty."

Onora looked down at her black strapless dress with swishy layers lined with black ribbon at the ends of the levels see-through fabric. She nervously fingered the sparkling, glittering band under her bust while she held her black and gold clutch in her other hand. Earlier in the night, as a nervous habit, she would reach up and play with her black tear-shaped earrings intermittently.

"Thank you," she blushed, "How's Kate?"

"Stable," Pogue frowned at the change of conversation, "The doctors are doing everything they can but for now they're playing it by ear."

"I'm sorry," Onora murmured.

"It's not your fault," Pogue told her, taking a bite of cake.

Onora cast a glance over to her sister dancing with Tyler. With Chase not showing up, the sisters barely needed confirmation to know that he was the one who cursed Kate. They didn't know his end game but Elly wasn't there either. She was in on it. And they had to stop both of them before they hurt anybody else.

"Where is she?" Caleb sighed to himself, checking his phone. She had five minutes left before he flew into a panic and raced to get her. It was almost eleven. They had been hours late to the dance with everything going on. Caleb knew he had little time before he had to go meet Chase himself.

"Caleb?" he heard Elly's voice behind him.

He whipped around, seeing her and immediately going to hug her but her hands flew out in front of her to stop him.

Elly looked full of tears, "I'm not really here. Chase pulled a trick and I'm just here in your head. He says it's time to meet. Now."

* * *

 **I did my Wiccan research and all. But I have a proposition for you guys. I won't post another chapter until I get an honest to god review. I want something more than you like it, I want to know what you like about it, what I could do differently with it. And I want definitive answers on whether or not you would pay to read the converted to original version of it when I finally decide to publish it. I'm begging now!**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	9. Dreams Come True

**Just as a warning, this is the last chapter. I hope I keep you guys after this. Enjoy.**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

DREAMS COME TRUE

"Okay, Chase—come out!" Elly called into the still night air, knowing her brother was there the whole time. How else would he know she was alone?

"Touching testimony in my honor, sis," Chase's voice sounded behind her, making her whip around to face him.

"Chase, we have to talk about this," Elly opened with.

"You know what?" Chase asked, "You're right. We have a lot to talk about."

"Why are you doing this, Chase?" Elly asked in a broken whisper, "You're trying to kill my boyfriend. Hurt our friends. We came here for their help and you're attacking them—putting spider curses on people."

"You sure threw a wrench in that plan of attack, didn't you?" Chase more-so stated maliciously, "Warning Pogue not to rush right over. He was supposed to crash and land himself in a matching hospital bed. You know—final warning to Caleb."

"There shouldn't be any warnings," Elly pleaded, "But I'm warning you now, Chase... if you do this-"

"You'll what?" Chase interrupted her angrily, "You'll rhyme at me until I go away?"

"Don't underestimate me, Chase," Elly warned him, "You're taking for granted the fact that I can see the future—and I've seen where this ends. I don't like it, and I hope you won't either."

"What is it, then?" He asked her impatiently, patronizing her like the big brother he was, "What's going to happen?"

"I'm going to die," Elly revealed to him with a straight face, "You're going to kill me."

"What?" Chase spouted out in laughable disbelief, "You know that would never happen!"

"I saw it!" Elly yelled at him, getting in his face, "My vision went black! You know what that means, don't you? And the last thing I saw before it all went black was you standing in front of me with a large ball of power in your hands, saying that this was what it had come to. You do the math, Chase!" she screamed, a few tears leaking out of her eyes, "If you go through with this, then I'm gonna die—because you're gonna kill me! Me! Your sister! What now, Chase!? What the fuck do you want to do now!?"

"I WANT TO STOP!" Chase roared down at her, panting in thinly veiled rage and worry. His old self scratched inside of him to break out to the surface, but he was barred by a titanium shell impossible to break through. He really was a monster. "And you know what I need? If I just had more power—I will be able to fight this addiction and nothing bad will happen. No one will get hurt."

"Chase you are just so skewed," Elly spat at him, "You don't see how wrong you are? More power isn't gonna do shit for you. It's not gonna help the addiction and it's not gonna save your life or mine. If you do this—I'll die and you'll lose me forever. Do you want that?"

"You know I don't!" Chase insisted vehemently, "I'd never want that!"

"Then don't do this! PLEASE!" Elly pleaded, "Please, Chase, you're my big brother. You've already broken every promise you've ever made to me—don't kill me too."

"You know I think I have a way around that," Chase said, suddenly very calm, "Let's just get lover boy in on this. It's almost time to meet up anyway."

Before Elly could say anything to protest, everything went black.

* * *

Caleb knew he was probably breaking about three different traffic laws as he raced to the Putnam barn for Elly and Chase. He couldn't keep his mind off of the sight of Elly, disheveled and not-real in front of him. She said that it was time.

She was right.

It was time to put an end to all this once and for all.

When he got there it was quiet. Though storm clouds gathered overhead there was no thunder just yet. Caleb steadily exited his mustang and raced into the barn, seeing Chase stand in the middle with an arm around Elly's shoulders. When she saw him come into the barn, she broke free of her brother's hold and began to race towards him.

But before they could reach each other, an invisible force propelled Caleb into a wall. Caleb groaned as he landed on the ground with a painful sounding thud. Elly cringed sympathetically, giving her brother a deadly look, "Chase, stop this now!"

"We're only getting started, sis," Chase cackled as he Used to bring Caleb to stand in front of him, "Elly told me about her vision. So if you want to avoid anything happening to her because of us fighting—I say we don't fight."

Caleb wanted to smile but he knew there was a catch, "What did you have in mind?"

"Tell you what," Chase started with a grin, barely noticing Elly standing still as stone between the two boys, "I'll make this easy for you. How about an accident? You lose control of your car on the way home from that pathetic dance. I'm sure you appreciate that. This all started with a car accident—it's only fitting that it end with one."

He started to circle the couple as Elly and Caleb inched their way closer to each other, "Everyone'll miss you—Elly included. They'll say great things about you. Only the Covenant will know the real truth. But, to them, you'll become a legend. The one who gave his life for them."

"How about you let us go—and live your life?" Caleb shot back.

Chase snickered, "How about I make you my wiotch?" He let a surge of power slam into Caleb's body, throwing him into a beam on the other side of the barn.

Caleb groaned in discomfort when his back slammed on the ground, snarling, "I'll never will you my power."

"Then it looks like we have a problem," Chase told him, using to lift him up again and slam him against the ground on the other side of the barn near the entrance.

Caleb shuffled up from the floor, "Fine, let's do this your way." His eyes flashed black as night as he manifested a black ball of energy in his hands and threw it at Chase. Chase flew back towards the ceiling beams, but his eyes flashed black and he flipped back down to the ground with a maleficent grin.

* * *

"Where have you been dude?" Tyler exclaimed to his friend as Reid came up to them, disheveled and a bit out of breath.

"That girl over there," Reid pointed out the redhead he'd been chatting up the duration of the dance, "Kalila Appleby. She's been... _fun_."

"Dude," Tyler admonished.

Just then Blair and Onora waltzed up to them. Blair strung her hand into his and smiled up at him sweetly, "Where's Caleb and Elly?"

Onora shifted from one foot to the next nervously, fiddling with her clutch as her sister seduced information out of the sweet boy.

"Dinner rez," Pogue quickly answered, "Their first date was postponed so Caleb thought tonight could be their second chance."

"That's sweet," Blair answered stiffly, "Is everyone having fun?"

The boys nodded along and Onora quickly took her sister's hand, "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Why do girls always have to go to the bathroom together?" Reid asked mockingly.

The sisters poked their tongues at him and sauntered off.

"What was that?" Blair hissed at her little sister as they rounded the corner into the hall.

"You were being obvious," Onora answered, "You were so put off by Caleb and Elly being out to dinner that Tyler probably would think you were into Caleb."

"It's an obvious lie," Blair said back, "It's a cover. They must all be in on it."

"All in on what?" Onora asked in exasperation, flopping her hands against her hips, turning on her sister, "What exactly do you think is happening, Blair?"

"Chase cursed Kate," Blair spat in disgust, "That's what I think is happening. Right now—she's dying in a hospital bed and where is her boyfriend? He's at a dance."

"So? So are we!" Onora pointed out, "Her friends. He's allowed to come out with his friends to try and get his mind off of it. He hasn't so much as looked at another girl except to try and cheer me up like the good guy he is. Don't go calling the pot black, kettle!"

"That's not the point!" Blair shouted, "Chase cursed Kate. And they're covering it up."

"You have absolutely no proof of that!" Onora shout back, "You don't even know if they're the ones! I thought you actually liked Tyler, by the way. But no, you're just using him aren't you?" Blair opened her mouth to argue but Onora went on, uninterrupted, "I mean—god, how heartless could you be? I've never known you to run away from trouble. You're a good witch—you've helped people who come and ask for it. But you've never deliberately manipulated the small clues around to go looking for trouble. And you've never been so ready to vanquish someone without indisputable proof. What the Hell happened to you? You're not acting like a good witch—you're acting like an omen!"

Blair gasped, "Onora-"

"I don't want to hear it!" She cut her off, "You've changed and definitely not for the better. You need to just shut up and listen to me for once! Because you know what, you don't know what you're doing. Back off, or I'll make you back off. We both know that despite you being the older sister—I'm the stronger one."

Blair was speechless.

* * *

Pogue fidgeted with his phone, checking the time, "Twelve minutes passed eleven."

"Happy birthday, Caleb," Tyler breathed into the night air, his breath visible in the September temperature.

* * *

Caleb groaned as he landed on the dirt ground again. He heard Elly's desperate cries for them to stop fighting, for Chase to stop hurting him, for them to pay attention to the storm clouds that started bringing thunder and rain down upon them. His vision was blurry but he saw the lightning before he felt it strike him.

Elly cried out shrilly when she saw the lightning hit Caleb and heard him shout out in pain, more lightning coming down just to add to the first bolt. His body levitated off the ground as his eyes screwed shut.

Chase laughed in glee, "Are we ascending? Finally!"

Caleb grunted in excruciating pain as Elly watched his body liquefy before he fell to his knees.

Elly rushed up to his body before Chase could stop her to check on Caleb, seeing him so tired out.

Chase tutted patronizingly behind them, "Scary, huh, Caleb... this new power you get when you ascend? Frankly, I don't think you're cut out for it. So why don't we just call it a night?" He used to knock Elly away from Caleb and then push the golden boy into a beam, knocking the structure down as it caught on flame under the residual power ball. He bent over Caleb's weak and beaten form, "Just say the words."

Caleb narrowed his eyes, turning them black, before he threw a blast of power at Chase, making the boy fly into the ceiling. A huge gaping hole that caught on fire was the result. Chase flickered back into sight as if nothing hit him, through there were many tears in his suit.

Chase tilted his head to crack his neck, "Trying to impress your date, huh?"

"Stop this Chase!" Elly screamed, running in between the two boys with her hands up.

She was cold, shivering and felt the looming doom of the situation threaten to crush her. But she didn't look away from her brother as he stood under the weight of roaring winds with eyes black as night.

"Chase! Please stop!" She shouted desperately, "It's me—It's Elly. Your sister. You won't hurt me."

"Get out of the way, Elly," Chase warned her, a black ball of energy slowly growing in his raised hands, "This is what we wanted, remember?"

"This wasn't the plan and you know it!" Elly cried out, not realizing that she may be speaking her last words, "Please don't do this, Chase! You need help!"

"Nobody can help me!" Chase shouted.

"I can if you let me!" Elly pleaded, "Just let me back in, Chase! We can beat this together like we said. I can still fix this!"

"Why fix something that isn't broken?" Chase asked maliciously.

"Get out of the way, Elly, he'll kill you!" Caleb yelled over the storm from behind her.

She shook her head defiantly, turning briefly to look at him, "I can't. He's my brother, Caleb."

Chase raised his hands and the large black ball of energy, enlarging it beyond belief, "This is what it's come to, then."

Caleb thought quickly, using to knock Elly out of the way when the power would fly at him. He didn't want her vision to end in blackness in reality.

Elly grunted when she landed on the ground and looked up to see Chase ready to lay the final blow. She felt wetness on her face but she couldn't tell if it was tears or the rain pounding down on the ground, sounding like bullets on a battlefield. In retrospect, she probably wasn't thinking about her next move at all. She was just acting—just feeling. And yes, sometimes that's gets you hurt or worse. But most of the time—it's worth it.

So in retrospect, she wouldn't regret running at the speed of light in front of Caleb just as Chase released the giant black power blast. Instead of hitting Caleb, it smacked right into her and propelled her petite figure into the wall of the entrance into the barn.

Both Chase and Caleb watched in horror as her body smacked into the side of the entrance, flipping upon the contact of her head against the wood and landing with the loudest thud either of them had ever heard. It echoed in their ears like a drum solo at a funeral.

Chase was the first one to get to her, using to teleport above her body. The sky had grown quiet as all the anger and power faded from his tired body and he turned her over onto her back. Her eyes were closed and her skin was pail. Chase noticed blood on the ground where her head had been and felt around for any cut. Once his head brushed the right side of her temple, he felt the sticky liquid touch his skin and pulled back to see red blood on his fingertips. His hand shook as he stared at the scarlet hate, red filling his vision.

Caleb watched with tears threatening to escape his eyes as he searched for signs of life in his girlfriend as her brother cradled her lifeless body in his arms.

"Is—is she...?" he couldn't bare to say the rest of the words or raise his tone higher than a scared whisper.

Chase let out a shrill cry, "AAAAHHHH!" sobs overtaking his entire body, wracking through his throat to his shoulders and back like a thousand pound weight that kept pushing down on him. "No, no, no, Elly, wake up! Open your eyes, Ellykins. Please, open your eyes. I promise—I promise everything. Anything—I'll do anything. Just wake up! WAKE UP!"

Caleb just watched on in pain. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He did everything he could think of to prevent this. He even moved her out of the way. He was willing to take that final fatal blow for himself. If only it would mean that Elly would be safe. But here she was lying limp in her big brothers arms while he begged for her to simply wake up and open her eyes.

"No, this isn't happening," Chase hushed himself, "This isn't happening. This is a nightmare—a dream. I used to get them all the time. This isn't real. You're fine Elly—just WAKE UP DAMNIT! Open your eyes!" The sobs broke through his heart as he closed his eyes to try and stem the tears overflowing, "Please wake up—I'll do anything if you wake up."

"She's not going to," Caleb whispered painfully, "This was her vision... it came true."

"No, I don't believe that," Chase muttered malevolently toward his 'brother', "NO! She's not gone! She's not DEAD! I'm gonna fix this—I'm gonna FIX IT! Not here. We can't be here anymore. Nothing here for us. Nothing here for us."

"Chase..." Caleb began in a warning tone, just hearing the crackle of fire that he quickly Used to put out, "Don't..."

But before he could get much more words out Chase's eyes bled black and he disappeared along with his sister's body.

They were both gone.

Before Caleb could do so much a cry, another bolt of lightening hit his body, much like the first, only a billion times more painful. And he knew what it was.

His father had just willed him his power.

His father and his girlfriend—they were both gone.

* * *

 **THE END.**

 **I know it's a downer of an ending, but I do have a fanfiction sequel that I think I'll still post. Unfortunately the 3rd and 4th parts after will remain original and I will hold them until I start publishing, which looks like a long ways down. I'll be sure to update you all.**

 **I really hoped you liked this story, it actually means something to me now that I'm doing a lot more with it and the characters inside it. Even looking into writing a prequel - original, of course. Keep your eyes peeled for that sequel.**

 **REVIEW!**

 **RegalGirl94**


	10. AN Message to my Lovely Readers :)

**Sorry this isn't an update, don't kill me!**

 **Hello my faithful readers and followers. I have some exciting news! A friend of mine, Dean Wehrli, is a writer too and just submitted his book to be published by Kindle Scout on Amazon! If it does well, Amazon will publish it and give him a contract. All you have to do is follow the link and you'll be taken to the book's webpage. you can read the excerpt and then click the "Nominate" button and spread the word to all your friends to do the same! If it's picked to be published, everyone who nominated it will get the whole book for free!**

kindlescout. amazon p/ 1RU081SN6ANYN.

 **And check out his website, which is just his name. :)**

 **Take out the spaces and go to the link. If these don't work, I'll have them up on my profile. If those don't work, then go to Kindle Scout's page and search for "Saving Monsters" and then just go to to check out what else he's been doing in the writing world.**


	11. AN Inkitt Contest

Not an update I'm sorry!

Hey guys! So I'm trying to get published! I have my book, Blood of Salem, up on 's contest Story Peak Novel Contest that ends on August 22nd. The first 100 copies are totally free so please go and download it to help support my winning this contest and getting a publishing deal. It would mean the world to me.

If the link doesn't work then just go to and search for Blood of Salem and it will take you to the right page.

stories/ fantasy/ 76284?ref=v_a59217b2-3c36-4860-b589-fc0adb7852ca

Thank you guys so much!

RegalGirl94


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